it       I 

y&*  -*  3fM. >«?*/«, x . 


3?£>-ri • 

M        If 


3K*  S'K'.t  rt  2K.  ^i  .TQ i»  v-Aliij; 


i%^ ^«2B si SSE?CS»^S' ^K?w«jtl<3stPwi 


;i^4m^^^§^f 


UCSB 

liSSfP 


, 

§ra 


¥*irt>OG i  */fcVaZVAC?5iB?«ft>«i  f/jfc-  )c??4. 


W^&K*f$URi *&£W*r:. 

M 

%m* 


^ 


!HWffi 


ON   THE   TRAIL. 


OFFICIAL    HISTORY 


IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  RED  MEN 

COMPILED  UNDER  AUTHORITY  FROM   THE 

GREAT  COUNCIL  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

BY  PAST  GREAT   INCOHONEES 

GEORGE  W.    LINDSAY  OF  MARYLAND 

CHARLES  C.   CONLEY  OF  PENNSYLVANIA 

CHARLES  H.  LITCHMAN  OF  MASSACHUSETTS 


EDITED   BY 

CHARLES   H.    LITCHMAN 

PAST  GREAT  INCOHONEE 


BOSTON 

THE   FRATERNITY  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 
G.S.D.  402  =  1893 


COPYRIGHT,  1893, 
BY  LEE  C.  HASCALL. 


ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED. 


SOLD   ONLY  BY  SUBSCRIPTION. 


XorinooC  IDrcss : 

J.  S.  Gushing  &  Co.  — Berwick  &  Smith. 
Boston,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


TO 

•past  (great  Encofjonee 
GEORGE    W.    LINDSAY 

BALTIMORE,   MD. 

IN   RECOGNITION   OF   HIS   WORTH   AS   A    MAN,    HIS   CONSCIENTIOUS 
RESEARCH    INTO    THE    HISTORY    OF 

THE   IMPROVED   ORDER   OF   RED   MEN 

AND   HIS   UNSWERVING   LOYALTY   AND   DEVOTION   TO   OUR 

BELOVED    FRATERNITY 

THIS   HISTORY   IS   RESPECTFULLY   AND    FRATERNALLY 
DEDICATED   BY 

THE   PUBLISHERS 


ADDITIONAL  CONTRIBUTORS. 


THOMAS  K.  DONNALLEY,  P.  G.  I Philadelphia,  Pa. 

DANIEL  M.  STEVENS,  G.  C.  of  R Camden,  N.  J. 

J.  P.  GARDNER,  G.  C.  of  R Boston,  Mass. 

JOHN  M.  HINKLE,  P.  G.  S Elmira,  N.  Y. 

THOMAS  G.    HARRISON,  G.  C.  of  R Indianapolis,  Ind. 

THOMAS  J.  IRWIN,  G.  C.  of  R Martin's  Ferry,  O. 

HENRY  A.  ANTHONY,  G.  C.  of  R Baltimore,  Md. 

JACOB  EMMEL,  G.  C.  of  R Atlanta,  Ga. 

IRA  T.  HOLT,  G.  C.  of  R Norfolk,  Va. 

J.  W.  MAKER,  G.  C.  of  R San  Francisco,  Cal. 

EDWIN  HIRST,  P.  G.  S Wilmington,  Del. 

THOMAS  H.  H.  MESSINGER,  Jr.,  G.  C.  of  R.     .     .     .  Wilmington,  Del. 

JOHN  W.  HATSTAT,  P.  G.  S Hartford,  Ct. 

CHARLES  W.  SKIFF,  G.  C.  of  R Danbury,  Ct. 

CHARLES  W.  HOWE,  G.  C.  of  R Rochester,  N.  H. 

GEORGE  H.  TANDY,  G.  C.  of  R Freeport,  111. 

C.  W.  FOSTER,  P.  G.  S Woodfords,  Me. 

A.  B.  McCowN,  G.  C.  of  R Des  Moines,  la. 

W.  E.  DAVIS,  P.  G.  S Des  Moines,  la. 

JOHN  B.  PATERSON,  P.  S Denver,  Col. 

HENRY  KLEFUS,  G.  C.  of  R Denver,  Col. 

JOHN  F.  CLARK,  P.  G.  S Providence,  R.  I. 

H.  C.  ULRICH,  G.  C.  of  R Lazearville,  W.  Va. 

L.  E.  HIRST,  P.  G.  S Grafton,  W.  Va. 

FRED  C.  TEMPLE,  G.  C.  of  R Grand  Rapids,  Mich. 

J.  H.  E.  WIEGANT,  G.  C.  of  R Leavenworth,  Kan. 

H.  M.  AUSTIN,  G.  C.  of  R Birmingham,  Ala. 

WILL  L.  SCISM,  P.  S Omaha,  Neb. 

GEORGE  T.  WALKER,  G.  C.  of  R Glendale,  S.  C. 

T.  E.  PRICE,  G.  C.  of  R.  of  Louisiana New  Lewisville,  Ark. 

JAMES  E.  DEMENT,  G.  C.  of  R Washington,  D.  C. 

Louis  E.  KALTWASSER,  Great  Sachem St.  Louis,  Mo. 

GEORPE  W.  DAVIS,  G.  C.  of  R Nashville,  Tenn. 

ROBERT  E.  DAVIS,  G.  C.  of  R Gainesville,  Fla. 

ROBERT  J.  HANSON,  P.  G.  S Gainesville,  Fla. 

J.  W.  MAHOOD,  G.  C.  of  R Virginia  City,  Nev. 

F.  H.  SAYLOR,  G.  C.  of  R :     .     .     .     .  Portland,  Ore. 

THOMAS  D.  TANNER,  P.  G.  S Easton,  Pa. 

i 


PREFACE. 


To  write  history  requires  a  love  for  the  subject  treated. 
Patriotism,  love  of  country,  a  desire  to  preserve  to  posterity 
the  annals  of  the  past  and  the  memory  of  noble  deeds  of  a 
brave  ancestry,  have  mainly  inspired  general  historical  work. 
None  the  less  important  and  interesting  to  a  fraternal  organi- 
zation is  the  collection  in  permanent  form  of  the  facts  and 
traditions  concerning  its  history.  So  well  understood  is  this, 
that  the  best  thought  of  every  such  organization  has  been 
called  upon  to  place  before  the  members  thereof  a  record  of 
the  past  that  should  be  at  once  a  pride  and  an  inspiration ; 
a  pride  of  duty  well  done ;  an  inspiration  to  greater  achieve- 
ments in  the  future. 

With  these  thoughts  in  view,  the  Official  History  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  has  been  compiled,  and  is  now 
offered  to  the  fraternal  consideration  of  the  members  of  the 
Order.  Full  value  and  credit  is  due  and  cheerfully  accorded 
to  the  work  of  that  esteemed  brother,  now  gone  to  join  the 
Silent  Majority,  whose  researches  have  entwined  an  interest- 
ing and  valuable  story  around  the  theory  that  makes  1813  the 
date  of  the  origin  of  our  Order.  Having  at  our  command 
the  originals  of  the  documents  upon  which  his  work  was  based, 
there  has  been  no  hesitation  in  using  such  portions  as  were 
necessary  to  properly  illustrate  that  part  of  the  history  of  the 
Order  herein  treated  as  the  second  epoch  in  its  chronology. 

But  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  after  patient 
investigation  and  consideration  of  the  researches  of  P.  G.  I. 
Lindsay,  having  decided  that  the  traditions  which  gave  inspira- 

3 


4  PREFACE. 

tion  to  an  organization,  and  the  earlier  movements  that  finally 
crystallized  into  active  force,  are  justly  to  be  considered  parts 
of  its  history  and  necessary  to  truthfully  trace  its  origin,  this 
history  has  been  compiled  upon  the  theory  that  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men  had  its  origin  in  those  patriotic  associations 
existing  prior  to  the  American  Revolution  of  1776,  and  by  whose 
influence  freedom  was  secured  to  the  Colonies,  and  our  Republic 
launched  among  the  nations  of  the  earth. 

These  early  societies  turned  to  the  uncultivated  field  of  Red 
Men's  mysteries  for  their  ceremonies  and  so-called  secret  work, 
and  in  the  sublimity  and  grandeur  of  the  unsullied  character- 
istics of  the  primitive  race,  then  more  plentiful  around  them, 
found  inspiration  for  the  mystical  lore  deemed  necessary  in 
their  gatherings,  and  suitable  for  the  concealment  of  identity 
inseparable  from  the  dangerous  work  in  which  they  were 
engaged  to  found  a  new  nation. 

This  use  of  the  forms  and  customs  of  the  North  American 
Indians  as  the  basis  of  the  ceremonies  of  these  original  organi- 
zations of  1771,  of  1813,  and  of  our  Order,  has  compelled  a 
study  of  their  manners  and  peculiarities.  No  one  can  enter 
upon  a  study  of  the  traditions  and  characteristics  of  the  Indian 
race  without  coming  under  the  spell  of  an  enticing  fascination, 
and  becoming  profoundly  impressed  with  the  noble  traits  of 
character  possessed  by  the  Aborigines  of  the  American  conti- 
nent. The  chapters  of  this  book  devoted  to  a  sketch  of  their 
forms,  manners,  customs,  and  peculiarities  are,  to  the  writers, 
not  the  least  of  its  attractions.  No  attempt  has  been  made  to 
give  anything  original  in  this  direction.  All  available  material 
has  been  long  since  exhausted,  and  each  successive  writer  could 
be  original  only  in  the  use  of  material  gained  from  a  common 
source.  Due  and  appropriate  credit  has  been  given  for  the 
work  of  others,  and  the  aim  has  been  to  show  to  the  member 
of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  who  may  read  these  pages, 
that  in  the  origin,  growth,  and  history  of  our  Order  are  a  strength 
of  purpose,  a  beauty  of  conception,  and  an  inspiration  of  charac- 
ter unexcelled  by  any  fraternal  organization. 


PREFACE.  5 

To  those  Great  Chiefs  of  the  United  States  and  of  the  several 
State  reservations,  who  have  contributed  the  data  necessary  for 
a  proper  compilation  of  the  work  done  in  their  respective  local- 
ities, due  acknowledgment  and  thanks  are  returned. 

In  submitting  the  result  of  our  labors  to  the  Order,  we  ask 
fraternal  forbearance  for  any  errors  of  omission  or  commission. 
Many,  doubtless,  could  have  done  better  than  we  with  the 
material  at  hand.  But  no  one  could  take  up  the  work  of  com- 
pilation with  more  sincere  love  for  the  Order,  with  more 
genuine  interest  in  its  origin,  history,  and  progress,  or  with  a 
more  abiding  faith  in  its  ultimate  great  prosperity. 

The  publishers  have  done  everything  in  their  power  to  make 
the  book  attractive  and  worthy  the  Order  of  which  it  is  the 
history. 

The  illustrations  are  most  valuable  and  interesting,  many  of 
them  having  been  engraved  at  great  expense  from  original 
drawings  by  well-known  artists. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 9 

INTRODUCTION n 

CHAPTER   I. 
Outline  of  Subject ;  Scope  intended  ;  How  treated  ;  Why  written  .         .       17 

CHAPTER    II. 

Primitive  Red  Men ;  The  Race  that  welcomed  the  Pilgrims ;  Their 
Characteristics ;  Their  Peculiar  Forms  and  Customs ;  The  League 
of  the  Iroquois  ..........  23 

CHAPTER   III. 

Patriotic  Societies  at  and  prior  to  1776;  Their  Motive;  Their  Need  of 
Secrecy ;  Sons  of  Tammany  in  Maryland,  Pennsylvania,  and  New 
York ;  Sons  of  Liberty  in  Massachusetts ;  Their  Influence  on  the 
Formation  and  Conduct  of  the  American  Republic ;  Legend  of 
Tammany 149 

CHAPTER   IV. 

Societies  of  Red  Men  from  1812  to  1834;  Their  Management,  Aims, 

and  History 199 

CHAPTER  V. 

Organization  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  at  Baltimore,  Md. ; 
Why  this  Name  was  selected ;  Those  Instrumental  in  securing  the 
Result 247 

CHAPTER   VI. 

Organization   of  the   Improved   Order  of  Red   Men  at   Baltimore  — 

Another  Version 270 

7 


8  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

PAGE 

The  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  :  its  Origin,  Powers,  and  Laws ; 
Its  Objects,  Jurisdiction,  and  History  from  Organization.  First 
Section,  from  1847  to  Council  of  1880 281 

CHAPTER   VIII. 

The  Great  Council  of  the  United  States :  its  Origin,  Powers,  and  Laws  ; 
Its  Objects,  Jurisdiction,  and  History  from  Organization.  Second 
Section,  from  1881  to  Date  of  Publication 303 

CHAPTER   IX. 

State  Great  Councils ;  When  and  where  instituted ;  Condition  at  Date 

of  Publication 423 

CHAPTER  X. 
Biographies  of  Prominent  Members 449 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Digest  of  the  Decisions,  Laws,  Rulings,  etc.,  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 

United  States,  corrected  to  Date  of  Publication       .         .         .         -475 

CHAPTER   XII. 
Legislation,  Constitutions,  etc 539 

CHAPTER   XIII. 
Degree  of  Pocahontas ;  Origin,  Purpose,  and  Growth     ....     588 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Chieftains1  League ;  Origin,  Objects,  and  Present  Condition  .         .         -595 

CHAPTER   XV. 

The  Degrees  of  the  Order ;  The  Theory  of  their  Construction ;  The 

Lessons  taught 605 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
Nomenclature  of  the  Order  and  Calendar  61 1 


INDEX 


619 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


On  the  Trail Frontispiece 


PAGE 


An  Iroquois  Warrior Facing  32 

Niagara  Falls          ..........        u      44 

An  Iroquois  Woman      ........."       74 

Totems  of  the  North  American  Indians 119 

Robe  of  Mah-to-toh-pa,  a  Mandan  Chief 130 

Captured  by  the  Braves :          Facing  180 

The  Rain  Maker "204 

Call  for  a  Meeting  of  the  Society  of  Red  Men 234 

Return  of  the  Hunters   ........          Facing  244 

Enlisting  for  the  War  Path "       270 

William  G.  Gorsuch,  First  Great  Incohonee  ....  "       282 

Andrew  J.  Baker "       314 

Joseph  Pyle "       314 

George  W.  Lindsay "       314 

Adam  Smith "       314 

Badge  of  the  Order 348 

Flag  of  the  Order 361 

Morris  H.  Gorham '    .         .          Facing  368 

Charles  H.  Litchman "368 

George  B.  Colflesh "368 

William  H.  Hyronemus "       368 

Ralph  S.  Gregory  .         .         . "       392 

Charles  C.  Conley "392 

Thomas  J.  Francis "       392 

Thomas  K.  Donnalley "       392 

Veteran  Badge 421 

Thomas  E.  Peckinpaugh,  Great  Incohonee    ....          Facing  422 

The  Captive's  Rescue "       588 

The  Paleface  Friend "594 

Invoking  the  Great  Spirit "       604 

9 


INTRODUCTION. 


THE  wonderful  progress  and  popularity  of  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men  have  earned  for  it  the  prominent  position  it 
occupies  among  the  social  fraternities  of  the  United  States. 
There  are  many  causes  for  its  phenomenal  increase  in  numbers 
and  influence.  The  Order  has  intrinsic  merit  as  a  society  which 
teaches  and  exemplifies  the  principles  of  friendship  and  broth- 
erly helpfulness.  Its  precepts  inspire  all  with  the  spirit  of 
fraternal  love  and  good  fellowship,  and  with  the  divine  idea  of 
the  brotherhood  of  man,  and  bring  to  the  surface  the  generous 
impulses  which  tend  to  pleasant,  harmonious  relations  among 
men.  Its  teachings  refine  their  natures,  ennoble  their  char- 
acters, and  awaken  their  minds  to  highest  aspirations.  It 
especially  appeals  to  the  patriotic  sentiments  of  the  American 
citizen  because  of  its  origin,  its  traditions,  and  its  ceremonies. 
We  have  been  criticised  in  some  instances  because  of  our  title, 
and  the  supposed  barbarism  of  our  ceremonials ;  but  every  true, 
intelligent  Red  Man  takes  great  delight  in  the  fact  that  we  are 
the  acknowledged  conservators  of  the  history,  the  customs,  and 
the  virtues  of  the  original  American  people,  —  a  people  conceded 
by  the  early  travellers  and  writers  to  have  been  intelligent, 
brave,  and  free,  loyal  in  its  friendships,  generous  in  its  hospi- 
talities, and  with  many  traits  of  character  worthy  of  emulation 
by  the  civilized  race.  The  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  is 
proud  to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  this,  the  noblest  type  of 
man  in  his  natural  state  that  has  ever  been  discovered.  Who 
will  say  that  the  civilization  and  the  moral  development  of 
Montezuma  and  his  people  do  not  compare  favorably  with  the 
brutality  and  greed  of  Cortez  and  his  adventurers  ?  Who  will 
claim  that  the  Pizarro  and  his  followers  excelled  in  any  way  the 

II 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

kind  and  hospitable  Incas  and  their  nation  ?  In  their  knowl- 
edge of  architecture,  of  the  decorative  arts,  of  the  sciences,  and 
in  their  agricultural  and  industrial  skill,  they  had  little  or 
nothing  to  learn  from  their  discoverers. 

Not  less  wonderful  than  the  Aztec  of  Central  and  South 
America  was  the  North  American  Indian,  the  prototype  of  our 
organization.  In  addition  to  the  complimentary  descriptions  of 
the  early  writers,  we  have  the  beautiful  legends  of  the  Aborig- 
ines which  have  descended  to  us  to  prove  their  courage,  their 
intellectuality,  their  loyalty,  their  kindness  of  disposition,  their 
moral  worth,  and  their  lofty  conception  of  a  Creator  and  Ruler 
of  the  universe.  Through  all  the  traditions  of  the  Tribes  and 
Nations  there  runs  the  belief  in  an  ideal  man,  endowed  by  the 
Great  Spirit  with  all  the  human  attributes  in  perfection,  who 
was  to  his  people  the  highest  type  of  physical  strength  and 
beauty,  whose  heart  overflowed  with  love  for  his  tribe  and 
people,  and  whose  knowledge  and  wisdom  surpassed  all  others. 
He  it  was  who  taught  them  to  love  and  help  each  other,  to  hunt, 
to  fish,  to  fight,  to  plant,  to  build.  He  told  them  of  the  strength 
there  was  in  unity.  History  records  no  coalition  more  wonder- 
ful than  that  of  the  Hodenosaunee,  known  to  us  as  the  League 
of  the  Iroquois.  For  centuries  it  stood  unmoved  and  unbroken 
by  any  of  the  weakening  internal  or  external  influences,  which 
have  laid  low  so  many  of  the  mighty  empires  of  the  earth.  It 
was  not  until  long  after  the  advent  of  the  paleface  invader  that 
it  fell  asunder.  It  is  said  that  the  I3th  successive  Great  Sachem 
was  at  its  head  when  the  white  man  first  appeared.  Hayo- 
wentha  was  the  ideal  man  who  came  to  them  with  Daganoweda 
in  the  beginning,  who  brought  the  nations  together,  gave  them 
instruction  and  good  advice,  created  their  democratic  form  of 
government,  which  was  a  system  of  equality  of  rights  with  a 
common  ownership  of  property.  Honor  was  given  to  whom 
honor  was  due,  and  the  brave  and  experienced,  the  true,  the 
generous,  and  the  wise  only  were  given  the  posts  of  dignity  and 
authority.  He  it  was  who  smoked  with  them  the  calumet  of 
peace,  from  which  the  smoke  ascended  to  the  Great  Spirit,  bear- 
ing their  words  of  amity,  and  who  gave  them  the  sacred  wam- 
pum belt,  into  which  their  vows  of  fealty  and  the  compact  of 
their  union  had  been  talked.  It  is  a  praiseworthy  indication  of 


INTR  OD  UCTION.  1 3 

their  freedom  from  the  meaner  vices,  that  their  code  of  laws  had 
no  reference  to  theft,  because  stealing  was  an  unknown  practice 
among  them. 

Their  ideas  of  the  Supreme  Being  compare  favorably  with 
those  of  the  nations  of  greater  pretensions.  It  is  true  the 
Indians  had  an  evil  spirit,  the  Mache  Maneto,  who  was  not 
much  more  than  an  incident,  or  exemplification  of  the  ills  which 
assail  humanity;  but  their  Kishe  Maneto  was  a  Good  Spirit, 
indeed,  not  an  implacable  jealous  God,  dealing  eternal  punish- 
ments, but  an  altogether  kind,  merciful,  generous  Being,  who 
filled  the  earth  with  corn  and  game,  and  brought  death  only  as 
a  means  to  translate  the  Red  Man  to  eternal  hunting  grounds 
of  peace,  plenty,  and  perfect  happiness.  Thus  it  was  a  deserved 
compliment  to  the  aboriginal  people  of  this  country  that  the 
earlier  social  and  patriotic  societies  of  America  designated  them- 
selves and  their  purposes 'by  use  of  Indian  appellations.  In  the 
following  pages  the  historian  has  traced  the  line  of  connection 
from  these  scattered  associations  to  our  present  organization, 
and  our  brotherhood  will  therein  find  much  to  give  it  a  laudable 
pride  and  pleasure  in  its  aboriginal  and  patriotic  ancestry. 

In  all  the  great  sun's  through  which  the  thread  of  our  record 
runs,  we  have  added  to  those  thoughts,  those  aspirations,  and 
those  deeds  which  occupy  the  mind  and  give  incentive  to  the 
action  of  Improved  Red  Men,  until  their  hearts  bear,  deep 
stamped,  the  impress  of  our  motto — "Freedom,  Friendship, 
and  Charity."  Freedom,  in  honor  of  that  race  to  whom  the 
forests,  the  plains,  the  hills,  and  the  valleys  of  this  land  were 
as  free  as  the  air  to  the  eagle,  and  in  memory  of  the  early 
struggles  to  wrest  these  United  States  from  dependency  to 
foreign  rule.  Friendship,  to  commemorate  the  unswerving 
loyalty  with  which  an  Indian  maintained  a  noble  and  unselfish 
affection  for  him  to  whom  it  was  plighted,  and  which  makes 
sweet  and  lasting  the  relations  in  which  the  members  of  our 
Order  are  united. 

It  is  in  the  beautiful  spirit  of  friendship  that  the  Red  Man 
holds  the  social  and  brotherly  intercourse  in  our  wigwams, 
which  broaden  his  character,  enlarge  his  heart,  educate  his  fac- 
ulties, give  him  amusement  and  recreation,  and  altogether  help 
him  to  be  a  sober,  upright,  intelligent  citizen,  a  better  husband 


1 4  JNTR  OD  UCTION. 

father,  son,  or  brother,  and  a  man  more  qualified  in  every  way 
to  perform  his  duties  and  to  enjoy  the  world.  A  man  possess- 
ing the  friendships  formed  in  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men 
with  men  who  trust  and  believe  in  him,  and  in  whom  he  believes 
and  trusts,  builds  up  a  self-respect  and  a  desire  for  the  esteem 
of  others  which  restrain  him  from  many  of  the  excesses  into 
which  he  might  otherwise  be  led.  Thus  we  have  Freedom  and 
Friendship,  ours  by  historical  right,  ours  because  we  are  the 
exponents  of  the  virtues  of  a  great  departing  race,  ours  because 
we  are  the  lineal  descendants  of  American  patriots,  and  had 
our  beginnings  in  the  patriotic  impulses  that  gave  freedom  to 
America,  and  ours,  because,  although  we  are  a  hundred  and 
two  score  thousand,  we  are  one,  —  one  in  object,  one  in  name, 
and  one  in  brotherhood. 

We  have  also  Charity,  that  charity  — 

"  which  needs  not  be  sought, 
Waits  not  for  want  to  plead, 
But  seeks  the  duty, 

Nay,  prevents  the  need ;  " 

and  that  charity  which  is  love ;  which  is  expressed  to  a  brother 
by  the  smiles  of  those  who  meet  him  around  the  brightly  burn- 
ing council  fire ;  by  the  fraternal  greeting  in  which  he  feels 
a  responsive  heart  thrill  in  unison  with  the  warm  clasp  of  a 
brother's  hand ;  by  the  sympathy  which  is  pleased  at  his  suc- 
cess, and  which  is  grieved  at  his  sorrows  and  disappointments. 
Such  is  the  charity  we  seek  to  exemplify,  in  which  the  spirit  of 
brotherly  love  and  brotherly  helpfulness  go  hand  in  hand,  which 
cultivates  the  spirit  of  forbearance  and  good-fellowship,  which 
tends  to  harmony. 

The  primary  objects  of  our  Order  are  to  promote  among  men 
the  exercise  and  practice  of  the  true  principles  of  benevolence 
and  charity,  the  care  and  protection  of  the  widows  and  orphans 
of  its  members,  and  the  cultivation  of  friendly  relations  with 
those  who  have  entered  its  circle.  The  democratic  influences 
which  attended  its  birth,  the  idea  that  all  men  are  equal,  are  the 
tenets  of  the  Order ;  and  what  a  man  is,  not  what  he  possesses, 
constitutes  his  claim  for  recognition  among  the  brotherhood. 

Friendship,  fraternity,  and  hospitality  are  exemplified  as  car- 
dinal virtues,  and  nowhere  are  hearts  brought  closer  together 


INTR  OD  UCTION.  1 5 

than  around  the  council  fires  of  the  Red  Men.  In  sickness  or 
distress  a  brother  is  visited,  comforted,  and  assisted;  and  when 
the  arrow  of  death  has  removed  him  from  his  trail  on  earth,  he 
is  buried  by  his  brothers,  who  continue  a  watchful,  protective 
care  for  his  widow  and  orphans. 

Our  Order  is  a  brotherhood  of  individuals  whose  personal 
characteristics  are  not  sacrificed,  but  whose  common  interests 
are  maintained  and  strengthened  as  the  members  harmonize 
around  our  council  fires.  We  are  proud  of  it  for  its  past ;  we 
love  it  for  what  it  is  to  us ;  and  we  hope  much  for  its  future. 
As  the  American  citizen  feels  the  patriotic  blood  tingle  in  his 
veins  while  reading  the  early  pages  of  his  country's  history,  so 
our  hearts  throb  as  we  remember  that  the  societies  of  Tamina 
and  of  Red  Men  were  a  part  of  that  history ;  and  every  true 
Improved  Red  Man  feels  an  added  dignity  and  sense  of  re- 
sponsibility because  it  is  so.  The  virtues  of  the  Aborigines  are 
taught  in  the  speaking  books  of  the  Society  which  is  named  for 
them,  and  are  engraved  on  the  trophies  which  hang  in  the  wig- 
wams where  Red  Men  meet.  When  the  Indian  has  disappeared 
forever  from  the  hills  and  the  valleys,  the  forest  and  the  stream, 
then  the  paleface  who  occupies  his  wigwam,  who  owns  the  land 
where  once  he  trailed,  will  look  upon  the  skins  and  scalps  which 
long  before  were  brought  home  from  the  hunt  or  from  the  war- 
path, will  take  down  the  totem  by  which  the  primitive  Red  Man 
distinguished  his  friend  from  his  foe,  and  from  them  teach 
object-lessons  of  the  history  of  his  county,  and  of  Freedom, 
Friendship,  and  Charity  to  the  coming  young  American. 

There  is  and  always  will  be  much  of  sorrow  and  disappoint- 
ment and  death  in  this  world  ;  and  inasmuch  as  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men  eases  the  burden  of  pain  and  brightens  the 
pathway  of  life,  it  is  a  blessing  and  of  value  to  man.  We  are 
entitled  to  its  being  and  continuance  as  we  are  to  the  sunshine 
from  the  Great  Spirit.  May  our  Tribes  multiply  and  increase, 
until  the  whole  world  shall  feel  the  spell  of  our  brotherhood, 
and  may  the  seeds  of  fraternity  we  sow  be  ever  watered  by  the 
divine  showers  of  harmony  to  bring  forth  the  flower  of  hope 
and  the  fruit  of  happiness. 

ANDREW  H.  PATON,  G.S.S.,  G.C.U,S, 


CHAPTER   I. 

OUTLINE    OF    SUBJECT. 

IT  is  the  intention  that  these  pages  shall  gather  in  permanent 
form  an  authentic  record  of  all  available  material  bearing  upon 
the  origin,  history,  and  objects  of  the  Improved  Order  of 
Red  Men ;  a  record  which  shall  inform  members  of  matters 
now  obscure,  and  those  not  members,  of  the  beauties,  excel- 
lencies, and  peculiarities  of  a  fraternity  having  a  name  which 
to  them  seems  odd  and  grotesque. 

From  the  traditions  of  the  past  will  be  given  the  evidence 
upon  which  is  based  our  claim  that  the  inspiration  of  the  Order 
is  the  same  that  gave  birth  to  the  Republic.  From  existing 
records  will  be  given  such  facts  as  show  the  evolution  of  the 
present  magnificent  fraternity  of  130,000  members  from  the 
handful  of  self-sacrificing  brothers,  whose  fidelity  and  patriotism 
fanned  into  flame  the  dying  embers  of  the  past  epochs  of  the 
Order,  and  handed  down  to  posterity  the  fraternity  of  to-day. 

The  compilation  of  this  history  has,  of  necessity,  compelled  an 
investigation  into  the  history  and  peculiarities  of  that  remark- 
able race  which  owned  America  only  four  hundred  years  ago, 
and  upon  whose  customs  the  work  of  the  Order  is  founded. 
Why  this  is  done  is  stated  at  length  in  its  proper  place. 

That  there  is  a  demand  for  the  information  here  given,  is 
apparent  to  all  in  any  way  active  in  the  affairs  of  the  Order. 
It  has  been  manifested  by  correspondence,  petition,  and  memo- 
rial to  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  and  in  other 
ways. 

At  various  times  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  has 
taken  action  by  which  to  fix  authoritatively  the  date  of  the 
organization  of  the  Order.  The  elaborate  research  of  Past 
Great  Incohonee  Morris  H.  Gorham,  based  upon  documents 
recovered  from  the  Society  of  Red  Men,  and  now  in  the  pos- 

'7 


t8  IMPROVED   ORDER   OF  RED  MEN. 

session  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  sought  to 
establish  Fort  Mifflin  on  the  Delaware  River,  and  a  date  approx- 
imating to  the  year  1813,  as  the  place  and  time  of  the  origin 
of  our  Order.  Further  research  in  another  direction  by  Past 
Great  Incohonee  George  W.  Lindsay,  of  Maryland,  collected 
testimony  of  sufficient  strength  to  secure  the  subsequent  en- 
dorsement of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  that  the 
origin  of  the  Order  dated  back  even  before  1813,  and  to  the 
patriotic  societies  that  existed  prior  to  the  American  Revolution. 
In  collating  the  material  upon  which  this  history  is  based,  it 
has  been  deemed  fair  to  all  interests  concerned,  as  well  as  with 
a  proper  regard  to  historical  fact,  to  consider  the  history  of  the 
Order  as  covering  three  epochs.  First,  that  of  tradition; 
second,  that  of  supposition;  and  third,  that  of  actual  written 
record.  It  is  true  that  the  societies  existing  previous  to  the 
year  1813  made  no  use  of  the  name  of  Red  Men  as  a  part  of 
the  title  by  which  they  were  known.  "  Saint  Tammany's 
Society  "  was  a  frequent  appellation  in  the  Middle  and  Southern 
States.  In  Boston  an  organization  known  as  "  Sons  of  Liberty  " 
seems  to  have  been  organized  with  the  same  spirit,  and  to  per- 
form the  same  services,  and  the  well-known  fact  will  be  recalled, 
that,  on  a  certain  important  date,  a  party  of  men,  "  disguised  as 
Indians,"  rushed  down  to  the  wharf  by  the  water-side  and 
pitched  into  Boston  Harbor  the  tea  which  had  been  imported, 
but  which  the  colonists  refused  to  receive,  and  pay  taxes  upon. 
Undoubtedly  these  various  societies  had  means  of  communica- 
tion. Their  purposes  were  identical,  noble,  and  patriotic.  The 
business  in  which  they  were  engaged  was  extremely  dangerous. 
If  they  succeeded  they  were  heroes.  If  they  failed  they  were 
traitors.  Hence  the  necessity  of  some  method  of  concealing 
their  personal  identity.  Instinctively  they  turned  to  the  Abo- 
riginal race,  then  near  neighbors,  and  on  the  manners  and 
customs  of  that  race  founded  the  ritualistic  work  necessary 
for  their  purpose  and  for  the  concealment  of  their  personal 
identity.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact,  which  may  be  used  to  substan- 
tiate our  claim  that  these  earlier  societies  were  followed  in 
direct  lineal  descent  by  the  Society  of  Red  Men  at  Fort 
Mifflin  and  by  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  at  Baltimore, 
that  the  customs  and  manners,  and,  indeed,  some  of  the  identical 


OUTLINE    OF  SUBJECT.  !9 

ceremonies,  have  descended  in  the  ritualistic  work  of  the  Order. 
We  have  elsewhere  given  an  account  of  that  unfortunate  race 
driven  westward  from  the  hunting-grounds  and  graves  of  their 
fathers  and  relatives,  their  lands  devastated,  their  wigwams 
destroyed,  and  their  very  existence  wiped  off  the  face  of  the 
earth.  As  time  passes  and  their  history  exists  only  in  tradition, 
our  Order  will  have  historical  value  beyond  even  present 
estimation. 

The  first  epoch  in  the  history  of  the  Order,  then,  will  be 
covered  by  such  references  as  seem  necessary  to  be  made  to 
the  Tammany  Societies  and  other  similar  organizations  existing 
previously  to  1812. 

The  second  epoch  in  the  history  of  the  Order  will  be  fully 
covered  by  the  records  of  the  Society  of  Red  Men  that  existed 
in  Pennsylvania,  branching  out  into  the  other  States,  from  1813 
down  to  1830. 

The  actual  historical  period,  comprising  the  third  epoch  in 
the  history,  is  given  elsewhere  in  the  extracts  from  the  written 
record,  from  the  organization  of  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland, 
followed  by  that  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States, 
down  to,  and  including,  the  council  held  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  in 
September,  1892. 

Among  those  who  organized  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men  in  Baltimore,  in  1835,  was  William  Muirhead,  who  had 
been  a  member  of  the  Society  of  Red  Men,  whose  headquarters 
were  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.  A  notable  instance  of  membership, 
forming  this  connecting  link  between  the  Society  of  Red  Men 
and  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  may  be  mentioned  in 
Past  Great  Incohonee  Richard  Marley.  Richard  Marley  joined 
the  Society  of  Red  Men  at  Philadelphia,  September  14,  1824. 
The  records  in  our  possession  prove  that  the  Order  at  that 
time  was  flourishing,  and  extending  itself  in  various  portions 
of  the  country.  The  meeting  of  Red  Men  which  took  place 
on  the  1 3th  of  March,  1834,  comprised  members  of  prior  but 
extinct  tribes.  Among  them  was  an  old  Red  Man,  formerly 
of  Philadelphia,  who  held  the  position  of  brigadier-general  of 
the  Society  under  Generalissimo  Lappopetung,  or  Black  Wam- 
pum, who  gave  warrant  and  authority  to  their  proceedings.  In 
every  case  of  the  adoption  of  a  paleface  into  the  Society  of 


20  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Red  Men,  a  new  name  was  entered  upon  the  record,  by  which 
the  newly-made  brother  was  known  in  the  Society.  On  page 
503,  Vol.  V.,  Record  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  are 
given  the  names  of  the  brothers  who  organized  the  Great 
Council  of  Maryland,  Society  of  Red  Men,  on  the  2Oth  day 
of  the  5th  moon  in  the  season  of  blossoms  in  the  year  1835, 
as  well  as  the  Indian  titles  by  which  they  were  designated  on 
the  records  of  the  Society.  If  the  early  written  record  of  the 
Society  of  Red  Men  was  in  existence  and  could  be  produced, 
we  think  it  would  show  as  complete  a  chain  of  connection 
between  that  Society  and  the  societies  of  the  revolutionary 
period  as  is  shown  between  the  Society  of  Red  Men  and  its 
successor,  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

The  following  pages  will  give  information  concerning  these 
earlier  patriotic  societies  whose  existence  began  about  1765, 
under  the  name  of  Sons  of  Liberty.  A  branch  of  this  organiza- 
tion became  the  Saint  Tamina  Society  of  Annapolis,  Md.,  in 
1771.  The  Tamina  Society,  or  Columbian  Order  of  New  York, 
was  organized  in  1789.  Mention  is  made  of  these  Tamina 
Societies  at  various  times  until  the  organizations  of  the  Society 
of  Red  Men,  which  it  is  claimed  took  place  at  Fort  Mifflin,  on 
the  Delaware,  in  1813,  and  which  certainly  occurred  previous  to 
1816.  We  know  that  members  of  this  Society  of  Red  Men, 
existing  from  1816  to  1832,  assisted  at  the  organization  or  after- 
wards became  members  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 
From  the  fact  that  the  Society  of  Red  Men  used  the  forms  and 
customs  of  the  Aborigines,  and  in  many  of  their  ceremonies 
were  identical  with  the  Saint  Tamina  Societies  that  preceded  it, 
it  does  not  require  a  vivid  imagination  to  believe  that  those  who 
organized  the  Society  of  Red  Men  were,  or  had  been,  of  some 
Saint  Tamina  Society. 

There  will  be  found  substantial  ground  for  this  assumption 
in  the  fact  that  Saint  Tamina  Day,  which  was  celebrated  on 
the  1 2th  of  May  of  each  year,  was  observed  by  the  army  from 
the  time  of  the  Revolution  down  to  just  before  the  opening  of  the 
War  of  1812,  when,  by  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  the  festival 
was  forbidden  among  the  troops.  Saint  Tamina  was  as  popular 
among  the  citizens  as  among  the  soldiers,  and  the  I2th  of  May 
was  observed  by  them  in  like  manner.  One  branch  of  this 


OUTLINE    OF  SUBJECT.  21 

society,  now  existing  in  New  York,  was  organized  in  1789,  by 
William  Mooney,  who  had  been  a  leader  among  the  Sons  of 
Liberty,  and  who  was  familiar  with  the  usages  of  the  earlier 
organizations,  some  of  which  were  incorporated  in  the  new 
organization. 

A  brief  sketch  of  the  organization  of  the  Order  in  each  reser- 
vation is  necessarily  included,  and  the  date  of  institution  of  the 
first  Tribe  in  each  State,  and  of  the  kindling  of  the  council  fire 
of  each  State  Great  Council,  forming  a  comprehensive,  even 
though  brief,  history  of  the  progress  of  the  Order  throughout 
the  United  States. 

In  many  reservations  several  attempts  were  made  to  kindle 
council  fires  of  the  Order  before  success  was  attained,  and  by 
reason  of  this  fa^t,  much  confusion  exists  as  to  the  exact  date  of 
the  institution  of  the  Order  therein.  The  present  Great  Chiefs, 
having  nothing  but  the  record  of  the  latest  organization  to  guide 
them,  have  placed  the  date  of  origin  according  to  the  information 
they  possessed,  while  the  records  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States  show  an  earlier  origin.  In  all  cases  where  this 
verification  from  the  record  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States  can  be  made,  we  have  given  the  date  according  to 
the  record,  even  if  it  became  necessary  to  change  that  stated  by 
the  Great  Chiefs  of  any  reservation. 

For  a  long  time  the  strength  of  the  Order  was  confined  to 
Maryland  and  Virginia.  It  was  some  years  after  the  institution 
of  the  Order  in  these  reservations  before  it  had  become  firmly 
established  in  the  reservation  of  Pennsylvania.  It  attained 
strength  and  power  in  many  States  where  it  does  not  now  exist, 
and  likewise  strong  and  vigorous  State  Great  Councils  now  hold 
control  in  reservations  where  the  institution  of  the  Order  is  of 
comparatively  recent  date. 

Biographical  sketches  will  be  given  of  prominent  members  of 
the  Order.  It  has  been  thought  best  to  restrict  these  to  biog- 
raphies of  the  Past  Great  Incohonees,  as  to  go  beyond  that 
would  far  exceed  the  space  at  our  disposal.  Surely  all  our 
members  will  be  interested  to  know  who  have  presided  over  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  and  to  learn  something  of 
their  personality. 

The  two  side  Degrees  which  have  been  established  as  adjuncts 


22  IMPROVED    ORDER   OF  RED  MEN. 

to  the  Order  will  be  fully  treated  and  described.  The  Degree 
of  Pocahontas  has  had  a  career  of  wonderful  prosperity  since  its 
organization,  and  continues  to  grow  in  strength  and  popular 
favor  in  the  Order.  The  Chieftains'  League,  with  its  attractive 
uniform  of  the  Continental  soldier,  satisfies  the  desires  of  those 
who  wish  a  uniformed  branch  of  the  Order.  While  the  growth 
of  the  League  has  been  slow,  it  has  been  sure,  and  its  future 
progress  and  prosperity  seem  certain. 

The  laws  by  which  a  body  is  governed  form  the  best  index  of 
the  wisdom  and  tact  of  those  who  control  it.  In  the  chapter 
devoted  to  the  Legislation  of  the  Order  will  be  given  an  outline 
of  its  interior  government,  and  a  complete  copy  of  the  latest 
revision  of  the  Digest  of  Decisions  issued  by  the  Great  Council 
of  the  United  States.  This  chapter  is  a  comprehensive  epitome 
of  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  Order,  and  gives  to  'the 
members  in  compact  form  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  laws 
by  which  they  are  governed. 

The  Degrees  of  our  Order  stand  unique  and  original.  Each 
is  intended  to  teach  a  lesson  illustrative  of  Indian  life  and 
Indian  characteristics.  It  has  been  deemed  proper,  therefore, 
to  present  an  indication  of  the  theory  upon  which  each  Degree 
is  founded,  and  to  explain  the  lesson  thereby  taught. 

.The  imagery  and  beauty  of  the  Indian  language,  wherein  every 
word  was  really  a  picture  of  the  idea  sought  to  be  expressed,  is 
alluded  to  in  the  chapter  devoted  to  the  nomenclature  of  the 
Order.  Indelibly  stamped  upon  the  rivers  and  lakes  and  moun- 
tains of  our  land  is  the  nomenclature  of  the  Aborigines  of  the 
American  continent,  and  long  after  every  other  trace  of  that 
wonderful  people  shall  have  passed  from  the  face  of  the  earth, 
the  names  of  our  mountains  will  be  their  monuments,  and  the 
musical  designation  of  our  lakes  and  rivers  will  perpetuate  their 
memory  for  all  coming  time. 


CHAPTER    II. 

PRIMITIVE    RED    MEN. 

THE  annals  of  history  show  that  in  all  cases  where  the 
ancient  voyagers  and  discoverers  touched  upon  the  shores  of 
America,  North  or  South,  they  were  met  and  welcomed  by  a 
race  peaceful  and  hospitable  at  first  to  the  new-comers,  with 
characteristics  qpd  peculiarities  differing  from  those  of  any 
people  then  known  to  the  civilized  world. 

The  name  Indian  was  erroneously  applied  to  this  people,  just 
as  America  was  to  the  continent  they  inhabited.  _ 

The  Indians  have  been  called  the  Aborigines  of  America, 
although  there  is  authority  for  the  assertion  that  they  them- 
selves were  the  successors  of  at  least  one  race,  and  perhaps  two 
races,  of  people  who  possessed  this  continent  and  were  driven 
from  it  by  the  Indians. 

To  trace  the  descent  of  a  people  when  its  records  are  tradi- 
tions handed  down  from  generation  to  generation,  warped  by 
individual  prejudice,  or  perverted  by  malice  and  design,  is 
manifestly  a  well-nigh  hopeless  task.  We  believe  it  is  gener- 
ally admitted  that  the  claim  of  Asiatic  origin  for  the  North 
American  Indian  is  based  upon  strong  circumstantial  evidence. 
The  uniformity  or  agreement  of  the  manners  and  customs  of 
two  nations  is  the  most  authentic  monument  of  their  original 
connection.  This  being  so,  there  can  be  found  many  coinci- 
dences singularly  indicative  of  the  identity  of  origin  of  the 
Asiatic  tribes  and  the  North  American  Indians.  Many  cus- 
toms, practised  only  by  some  nations  in  Asia,  are  distinctly 
traceable  among  the  earliest  inhabitants  of  the  western  con- 
tinent, and  a  remarkable  resemblance  in  language,  religion, 
manners,  habits,  and  customs,  tends  to  establish  their  common 
origin. 

It  will  not  be  expected  that  in  the  compilation  of  the  material 

23 


24  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

for  this  book  any  original  addition  can  be  made  to  the  result  of 
previous  investigations  of  those  who  gave  to  the  subject  many 
years  of  study,  and  who  had  the  advantage  of  personal  contact 
with  the  people  they  described,  or  with  the  historians  who 
preceded  them.  Generous  requisition  has  been  made  upon  the 
mass  of  material  at  hand,  and  due  credit  elsewhere  given  to 
the  authors  whose  publications  have  been  levied  upon. 

The  various  tribes  of  North  America  differed  from  each 
other  in  their  individuality  and  characteristics,  just  as  they  all 
together,  as  a  type,  differed  from  the  inhabitants  of  South 
America.  But  as  far  as  history  has  been  able  to  record,  there 
was  among  them  a  similarity  of  ceremonies  and  customs  which 
makes  a  description  of  the  tribes  inhabiting  one  part  of  the 
country  typical  of  all.  The  history  of  the  Five  Nations,  or 
League  of  the  Iroquois,  the  most  powerful  confederation  of 
Red  Men  found  upon  the  continent,  and  existing  down  to  the 
present  day,  is  treated  extensively  in  this  chapter. 

From  a  history  of  New  England,  of  the  year  1700,  published 
in  1721,  and  from  other  sources,  is  gleaned  the  following  ac- 
count of  the  Indians  of  New  England.  It  gives  an  admirable 
and  interesting  insight  into  the  customs,  ceremonies,  and  peculi- 
arities which  made  the  Red  Men  of  the  forest  such  strange 
beings  in  the  thoughts  and  imaginations  of  the  early  settlers. 

New  England  was  inhabited  by  from  twenty  to  thirty  dif- 
ferent nations  at  the  advent  of  the  Pilgrims,  many  of  whose 
names  are  with  us  to-day  in  the  nomenclature  of  the  villages, 
cities,  states,  mountains,  lakes,  and  rivers  of  that  section. 
They  are  also  perpetuated  in  the  names  of  the  tribes  of  our 
Order,  which  by  its .  laws  requires  that  each  tribe  shall  be 
named  after  some  Indian  tribe  or  chief  connected  with  the 
locality  where  it  is  instituted. 

Among  these  nations  was  the  Massachusetts,  the  largest  of 
all  and  the  most  civilized,  from  which  has  come  the  name  of 
the  leading  commonwealth  of  New  England.  Other  nations 
whose  names  will  be  familiar  when  seen,  were  the  Narragan- 
setts,  Pequots,  Wampanoags,  and  the  Maquas,  otherwise  known 
as  Mohegans  or  Mohawks. 

All  accounts  describe  these  nations  as  composed  of  people 
warlike  and  brave,  who  fought  with  the  courage  of  despair 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  25 

against  the  encroachments  of  the  new  race  whose  advent  in 
the  decree  of  fate  was  to  be  followed  by  the  extinction  of  the 
Aborigines  whom  they  supplanted.  The  Maquas,  or  Mohawks, 
were  one  of  the  five  nations  originally  comprising  the  League  of 
the  Iroquois.  Their  timely  assistance  turned  the  scale  in  favor 
of  the  English  in  the  war  with  King  Philip  of  the  Wampanoags. 
Dr.  Cotton  Mather  bore  witness  to  their  courage  and  valor, 
and  records  the  fact  that  they  controlled  the  country  between 
the  Hudson  (which  they  called  Mohegin)  River,  on  the  east, 
and  the  Mississippi,  on  the  west. 

The  Indian  of  1700  was  described  as  of  an  olive  complexion, 
flat  nose,  with  black  hair,  cut  short  in  front  but  allowed  to  grow 
long  behind,  and  with  a  dress  ornamented  with  feathers.  They 
had  no  beards,  but  were  generally  tall  and  well  developed  in 
form.  In  sumrfier  they  wore  only  a  breech-clout  made  of 
leather.  In  winter  they  clothed  themselves  with  deer  skins, 
which  were  worn  thrown  around  them  like  a  mantle.  Some 
of  the  tribes  had  breeches,  leggins,  and  moccasins  made  of  the 
same  material,  but  in  one  piece.  In  winter  they  used  snow- 
shoes,  which  were  admirably  adapted  for  travelling.  They 
painted  themselves  with  a  variety  of  figures,  which  appeared 
ugly  and  misshapen  to  the  palefaces,  but  had  a  significant 
meaning  to  the  Red  Men  themselves.  He  was  considered  the 
bravest  who  had  the  most  frightful  forms  pictured  upon  him, 
and  he  was  thought  thereby  to  inspire  his  opponents  with 
terror.  Their  women  wore  earrings  of  copper  or  beads,  and 
bracelets  about  their  arms  and  chains  about  their  legs.  The 
men  considered  it  beneath  their  dignity  to  labor,  except  on  the 
hunt  or  upon  the  war-path,  and  the  labor  of  taking  care  of  the 
children,  and  managing  the  domestic  affairs,  fell  upon  the  wives. 
The  women  planted,  reaped,  housed,  and  threshed  their  corn, 
built  their  wigwams,  and  waited  upon  the  braves  and  warriors. 
The  only  employment  of  the  men  was  hunting  and  fishing. 
When  provision  was  low  they  went  into  the  woods,  fifty  or  one 
hundred  in  a  band,  with  their  bows  and  arrows,  and  brought  in 
a  fresh  supply  of  food ;  or  went  out  upon  the  rivers  in  their 
canoes  to  catch  the  fish  with  which  they  were  abundantly  sup- 
plied. Along  the  coast  they  regaled  themselves  with  the  dif- 
ferent kinds  of  sea-fish,  and  with  lobsters,  clams,  etc.  They 


26  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

had  a  fashion  of  taking  the  lobsters  in  large  bags  at  low  water, 
also  with  a  staff  two  or  three  yards  long,  made  small,  sharpened 
at  one  end,  and  with  notches.  When  a  lobster  was  seen  crawl- 
ing in  the  water  about  two  fathoms  deep,  they  impaled  him 
with  the  staff  and  captured  him.  It  was  no  uncommon  thing 
for  an  Indian  lad  to  capture  twenty  lobsters  in  this  manner 
in  a  single  hour.  Bass,  blue-fish,  and  sturgeon  they  struck 
with  a  sort  of  dart  made  of  wood  and  sharpened  with  a  fish- 
bone. 

One  author,  remarks  that  it  is  wonderful  that  during  the  many 
ages  since  the  Indians  first  inhabited  the  country,  no  active  spirit 
rose  up  among  them  to  encourage  arts  and  industry.  They  lived 
in  a  country  full  of  copper  and  iron  mines,  and  yet  were  never 
owners  of  as  much  as  a  knife  until  the  English  came  among 
them.  Indeed,  their  name  for  an  Englishman  was  "  Knife 
Man."  The  land  was  stocked  with  the  best  timber  for  shipping 
in  the  world,  yet  the  only  use  to  which  they  put  it  was  to  make 
canoes  from  the  trunks  by  the  use  of  fire  or  from  the  bark  of 
the  birch-tree.  The  canoe  of  bark  was  an  ingenious  affair, 
very  light,  but  adapted  to  their  uses.  When  they  had  burnt  up 
the  wood  in  the  neighborhood  of  any  place  where  they  had 
pitched  their  wigwams,  they  pulled  stakes  and  followed  the 
wood,  rather  than  bring  the  wood  to  their  camp. 

The  Indian  wigwam  was  made  of  young  and  tender  trees, 
bent  down  like  an  arbor,  covered  on  the  top  with  bark  and 
well-wrought  mats  made  of  rushes.  The  doors  were  about 
three  feet  high,  one  opening  to  the  north  and  the  other  to  the 
south,  and  when  the  wind  shifted  they  closed -up  the  door  on 
one  side  with  bark,  and  hung  a  deerskin  or  mat  before  the 
other.  Th6  chimneys  were  holes  in  the  top  of  the  wigwam, 
which  were  covered  with  mats  in  cold  weather.  All  was  warm 
and  close  in  winter,  for  the  houses  were  matted  both  outside 
and  inside.  Pots  in  which  they  cooked  their  food  were  strung 
upon  poles  attached  to  stakes  driven  in  the  ground.  The  beds 
were  so  many  mats  spread  about  the  fire. 

The  ordinary  food  is  spoken  of  as  plain  and  simple,  for 
when  fishing  and  hunting  failed  they  lived  upon  "  Nokohick," 
which  was  a  spoonful  of  parched  meal  with  a  spoonful  of  water, 
and  on  the  strength  obtained  from  this  they  would  travel  a 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN. 


27 


whole  day.  Of  course,  the  forest  gave  them  an  abundance  of 
game,  —  deer,  bears,  and  raccoons,  but  the  moose  seemed  to  be 
the  most  esteemed  as  a  rarity.  Flesh  of  the  moose  was  pre- 
pared by  the  Indians,  who  dried  it  and  kept  it  all  the  year 
round,  not  being  acquainted  with  the  use  of  salt  until  the 
English  brought  it  among  them.  The  skin  of  the  moose  made 
a  very  substantial  garment,  both  for  warmth  and  defence. 

The  health  of  the  primitive  Red  Man  previous  to  the  advent 
of  the  white  race  seemed  to  be  excellent,  most  of  the  diseases 
prevalent  among  the  white  men  being  unknown  to  them.  The 
most  fatal  disease,  apparently,  among  them  was  small-pox,  a 
whole  tribe  being  sometimes  destroyed  by  this  dread  malady. 

Aside  from  two  or  three  nostrums,  which  they  applied  in 
certain  cases,  they  had  but  two  remedies  for  the  sick,  —  the  hot 
house,  and  the  Powwow,  or  priest.  The  hot  house  was  a  little 
cave,  about  eight  feet  square,  which  was  heated  very  hot,  and 
in  which  they  remained  for  about  an  hour.  Upon  coming  out, 
they  plunged  into  the  adjacent  river.  This,  seems  to  have  been 
a  species  of  Turkish  bath.  If  this  did  not' cure,  they  sent  for 
the  Powwow,  or  priest,  who  came  and  performed  his  incanta- 
tions and  magical  ceremonies  to  drive  away  the  disease.  Long 
practice  undoubtedly  gave  the  Powwow  considerable  skill  in 
ordinary  disease,  and  made  it  possible  for  him  to  judge  if  the 
disease  was  likely  to  prove  fatal.  If  there  was  probability  that 
the  patient  would  recover,  the  Powwow  told  him -that  Hobba- 
mocko  sent  the  illness  as  a  punishment  for  some  offence,  and 
that  if  he  called  upon  him  in  his  distress,  relief  would  come. 
If  the  case  was  hopeless,  he  said  to  the  patient  that  Kichtan 
was  angry,  and  that  all  diseases  inflicted  by  him  were  incurable. 

Their  manner  of  burying  the  dead  was  curious  and  interest- 
ing. A  large  hole  was  dug  in  the  ground,  across  the  bottom 
of  which  they  laid  a  parcel  of  sticks ;  then  wrapping  the  corpse 
in  skins  and  mats,  they  laid  it  upon  the  sticks,  and  placed  by 
its  side  all  the  treasures  of  the  dead  person ;  over  this  they 
raised  a  mound  of  earth.  While  this  was  being  done,  the 
friends  of  the  deceased  kept  up  a  mournful  screeching  and 
howling.  When  the  first  English  colonists  were  selecting  a 
place  for  settlement,  they  discovered  many  of  these  Indian 
graves,  one  of  which  was  opened.  The  outside  covering  was 


23  IMPROVED    ORDER   OF  RED  MEN. 

of  boards,  under  which  was  a  mat;  next  to  that  were  bowls, 
trays,  dishes,  and  then  another  mat,  under  which  was  a  board 
finely  painted  and  carved ;  then  came  another  mat,  under  which 
were  two  bundles  in  which  was  discovered  a  large  quantity  of 
a  very  fine  and  perfectly  red  powder,  with  a  strong,  but  not 
offensive,  odor,  and  in  this  were  the  bones  and  skull  of  a  man. 
Fine  yellow  hair  was  attached  to  the  skull.  There  were  also  in 
the  same  bundle  a  knife,  a  needle,  some  iron  implements,  strings 
of  beads,  a  bow  and  arrow,  and  other  minor  things. 

The  mourning  for  the  dead  continued  for  several  days,  night 
and  morning,  and  all  the  friends  of  the  deceased  took  part,  in 
the  southern  parts  of  the  country  the  women  blackening  their 
faces  with  a  mixture  prepared  for  that  purpose.  If  the  sick 
person  happened  to  recover,  there  was  always  great  joy,  and 
when  his  friends  came  to  congratulate  him  upon  his  recovery, 
they  brought  gifts  to  help  make  good  the  loss  arising  from  his 
sickness. 

Among  New  England  Indians  reverence  of  the  aged  was 
strictly  observed.  The  young  braves  of  the  tribe  relieved  in 
every  way  the  older  warriors,  even  though  the  latter  were 
strangers.  No  Indian,  however  old,  was  counted  a  man  until 
he  had  signalized  his  bravery  by  some  laudable  act  worthy  of 
the  approval  of  his  tribe  and  nation. 

The  Indians  divided  their  time  by  sleeps,  moons,  and  winters. 
They  seemed  to  have  made  some  observation  of  the  stars ;  and 
it  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  constellation  known  among 
the  palefaces  as  "  The  Bear  "  was  called  by  the  Indians  "  Pau- 
kunnawaw,"  which  was  the  Indian  name  for  bear.  They  had 
no  written  records  by  which  to  perpetuate  the  exploits  of  their 
ancestors,  yet  there  is  evidence  of  rude  engravings  upon  rocks 
which  apparently  were  intended  to  transmit  to  posterity  some 
knowledge  of  important  events  of  the  past.  They  sought  to 
supply  this  defect  by  digging  deep  holes  in  the  ground  in  the 
place  where  any  memorable  act  had  been  done;  and  he  who 
understood  the  significance  thereof  could  interpret  its  meaning, 
and  learn  the  history  of  the  circumstances  it  was  intended  to 
commemorate. 

The  Indians,  of  New  England  at  least,  believed  not  only 
in  a  plurality  of  gods  who  made  and  governed  special  nations 


PRIMITIVE   RED  MEN.  2g 

of  the  world,  but  they  elevated  into  Deity  everything  they 
imagined  to  be  great,  powerful,  beneficial,  or  hurtful  to  man- 
kind. For  instance,  they  believed  in  a  God  of  the  Sun  and  a 
God  of  the  Moon,  etc.  They  believed  fire  to  be  a  kind  of  god, 
inasmuch  as  it  produced  such  remarkable  effects,  and  they  paid 
divine  honors  to  thunder  and  lightning,  which  to  them  were 
very  terrible.  But  let  it  be  recorded  that  although  the  Indian 
acknowledged  a  great  variety  of  inferior  gods,  yet  he  conceived 
and  acknowledged  one  Almighty  Being,  who  dwelt  in  the 
southwest  regions  of  the  heavens,  and  who  was  supreme  above 
all  the  rest.  This  Almighty  Being  was  called  by  various  names, 
among  which  may  be  mentioned  "  Kichtan,"  "  Kawtantowit," 
"  Manitou."  Among  the  Iroquois,  "  Ha-wen-ne-yu."  They  be- 
lieved their  supreme  God  to  be  a  good  being,  and  acknowledged 
their  indebtedness  to  him  for  plenty  on  the  chase,  or  victory  on 
the  war-path.  They  ^believed  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul, 
and  a  future  state  of  existence.  One  legend  stated  that  when 
good  men  died  their  souls  went  to  Kichtan,  where  they  met 
their  friends,  had  splendid  entertainments,  and  enjoyed  all 
manner  of  pleasures.  When  wicked  men  died,  they  went,  also, 
to  Kichtan,  and  knocked  at  the  door,  but  they  received  no 
answer  but  "  Quachet,"  which  meant  "  Go  away,"  so  they  were 
doomed  to  wander  about  in  restless  discontent  forever. 

The  Supreme  Deity,  Kichtan,  they  believed  to  be  invisible 
even  to  their  Powwows ;  but  there  was  another  power  called 
by  them  "  Hobbamocko,"  and  by  the  English  the  devil,  who 
appeared  to  the  Powwows,  as  they  themselves  claimed,  in  dif- 
ferent forms,  sometimes  as  a  man,  then  as  a  deer  or  eagle,  but 
most  commonly  in  the  form  of  a  snake.  To  him  they  applied 
in  all  difficult  cases  for  the  cure  of  disease,  and  the  people 
stood  in  greater  fear  of  -him  than  of  Kichtan  himself.  While 
the  people  were  very  anxious  for  the  honor  of  a  sight  of  this 
Hobbamocko,  he  never  appeared  only  to  the  Powwows  and  the 
Paniese  or  counsellors  of  state ;  that  is,  to  the  men  of  intrigue 
and  design  whose  business  it  was  to  keep  the  people  in  igno- 
rance. 

The  Powwows  referred  to  were  the  priests,  so  to  speak,  among 
the  Indians,  and  by  skilfully  working  upon  their  superstitions, 
they  compelled  obedience,  respect,  and  even  reverence  as  per- 


30  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

sons  having  familiar  acquaintance  with  the  Deity,  and  who  by 
blessing  or  curse  could  make  men  happy  or  miserable  in  the 
happy  hunting  grounds.  The  Indians  believed  they  could  raise 
the  devil  and  induce  him  to  do  whatever  they  desired  unless 
Kichtan  interposed.  Dr.  Cotton  Mather  in  his  letters  relates 
many  anecdotes  of  the  incantations  used  by  these  Powwows  to 
cure  disease  among  the  Indians.  It  seems  if  the  patient  died, 
the  result  was  declared  to  be  the  inexorable  decree  of  Kichtan ; 
if  the  patient  recovered,  the  Powwow  claimed  credit  for  his 
superior  skill,  and  the  virtue  of  his  incantation.  It  is  not  sur- 
prising, that,  under  a  theology  like  this,  the  Indians  after  a  while 
thought  more  of  appeasing  the  devil  than  they  did  of  worship- 
ping the  Great  Spirit. 

It  was  customary  among  the  Indians  when  children  arrived 
at  the  age  of  discretion,  whether  male  or  female,  to  give  them 
a  new  name,  as  women  among  civilized  nations  change  their 
names  at  marriage.  Again,  when  any  remarkable  exploit  had 
been  performed  another  new  name  was  taken.  A  practice 
existed  among  nations  of  antiquity  to  add  new  titles  to  their 
names  after  any  extraordinary  performance ;  but  to  give  up  an 
old  name  entirely,  and  supplant  it  with  a  new  one,  was  a  custom 
peculiar  to  the  Aborigines  of  America. 

The  government  prevailing  among  the  Indians  is  described 
as  strictly  a  monarchy,  the  Sachem  having  absolute  power  even 
over  the  lives  of  his  people.  In  all  important  matters  a  council 
of  the  sub-chiefs  was  summoned.  Over  this  council  the  Sachem 
presided  with  great  dignity,  and  after  the  decision  of  the  chiefs 
and  council  had  been  made  the  orders  of  the  Sachem  were 
executed  without  hesitation.  The  Paniese  were  counsellors  to 
the  Sachem,  and  were  selected  from  the  wisest  and  most  cou- 
rageous of  the  tribe.  They  were  consulted  by  the  Sachem 
before  war  was  declared,  or  any  important  business  under- 
taken, and  they  seem  to  have  been  the  Guard  of  Honor  of  the 
Sachem.  They  were  held  in  high  repute  among  the  Indians, 
and  could  arrive  at  the  distinction  enjoyed  only  by  a  long 
course  of  training  calculated  to  fit  them  for  the  duties  they 
were  to  perform,  and  to  prove  their  endurance  and  bravery. 
The  Sachem  seems  to  have  collected  tribute  from  the  people, 
which  was  paid  in  the  shape  of  skins,  and  such  fruits  or  vege- 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  ^ 

tables  as  were  raised  among  them.  Upon  the  Sachem  fell  the 
responsibility  of  upholding  the  proverbial  hospitality  of  his 
nation,  and  the  tribute  referred  to  furnished  the  means  for 
maintaining  the  obligations  of  his  exalted  position.  In  time  of 
war,  both  person  and  estate  being  at  the  disposal  of  the  Sachem, 
tribute  was  neither  demanded  nor  expected. 

That  which  served  among  them  for  money  was  called  wam- 
pum, and  was  composed  of  strings  of  beads  made  from  shells 
found  upon  the  sea-coast.  These  beads  were  fashioned  with 
instruments  of  stone,  as  they  were  unacquainted  with  the  use  of 
metal  previous  to  the  advent  of  the  white  race. 

In  the  administration  of  justice  the  punishment  inflicted  was 
proportionate  to  the  number  of  offences  in  each  individual  case. 
The  punishment  varied  from  a  reprimand  for  the  first  offence 
to  a  beating  on  the  naked  back  for  the  second,  and  a  beating 
with  a  slitting  of  the  rtbse  for  the  third  offence.  The  Sachem 
was  the  examiner,  judge,  and  executioner.  Murder  was  pun- 
ished with  death,  the  sentence  being  executed  also  by  the 
Sachem.  Should  the  criminal  be  absent  at  a  long  distance 
whence  he  could  not  be  brought  conveniently,  the  Sachem  sent 
his  own  knife  with  which  the  execution  should  be  performed. 
With  this  single  exception  the  Indians  would  not  receive  pun- 
ishment except  directly  from  the  hands  of  the  Sachem.  While 
enduring  punishment  no  murmur  of  complaint  was  uttered,  it 
being  considered  a  more  infamous  thing  than  the  offence  itself 
for  a  person  to  cry  out  or  flinch  while  being  punished  by  the 
Sachem. 

So  absolute  was  the  power  of  the  Sachem  over  his  people, 
that  they  could  not  understand  the  limited  power  entrusted  to 
the  Governors  of  the  Colonies,  and  it  is  related  that  when  one 
of  them  sought  to  make  a  treaty  with  Governor  Mayhew  of 
Martha's  Vineyard,  the  Governor  promising  to  grant  a  favor 
asked  if  the  inhabitants  consented,  the  Sachem  responded: 
"  Why  do  you  recall  your  promise  ?  What  I  promise  or  speak 
is  always  true ;  but  you  English  Governors  cannot  be  true,  for 
you  cannot  make  your  words  or  intentions  true ;  but  mine  are 
always  true,  for  I  make  them  true." 

The  bow  and  arrow  were  the  chief  weapons  of  the  Indian ; 
the  skin  of  the  beast  gave  him  clothing,  and  its  flesh,  food.  He 


32 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED   MEN. 


had  no  learning  or  letters ;  he  did  not  need  them  for  hunting 
and  fishing,  which  were  his  principal  occupations.  He  was  swift 
of  foot  and  capable  of  enduring  great  fatigue  and  hardship. 
Personal  courage  gave  him  reputation  among  his  people,  and 
by  this  quality  he  was  able  to  rise  to  positions  of  the  highest 
trust  and  responsibility.  He  was  ignorant  of  the  nature  of 
commerce,  and  when  the  Europeans  first  traded  with  him,  he 
parted  with  things  of  greatest  value  for  mere  trifles.  After  a 
while  he  grew  wiser,  and  realizing  the  value  of  the  property  the 
whites  seemed  so  anxious  to  acquire,  learned  to  drive  as  sharp 
a  bargain  as  his  paleface  neighbor. 

A  description  of  the  primitive  Red  Man  will  be  incomplete 
without  appropriate  and  full  consideration  of  that  wonderful 
confederation  known  to  history  as  the  League  of  the  Iroquois. 
The  people  composing  this  League  achieved  for  themselves  a 
more  remarkable  civilized  organization  and  acquired  a  higher 
degree  of  influence  than  any  other  race  of  Indian  lineage  except 
those  of  Mexico  and  Peru.  For  nearly  two  centuries  after  the 
advent  of  European  colonists  they  maintained  an  unbroken 
organization,  and,  by  the  peculiar  features  of  its  federal  system, 
maintained  their  independence,  exhibiting  wisdom  in  their  civil 
institutions,  sagacity  in  the  administration  of  the  League,  and 
courage  in  its  defence.  The  remnant  of  the  League  which 
exists  to-day  maintains  the  traditions  of  the  past,  and  perpetu- 
ates the  form  of  government  by  which  every  member  was  bound 
to  every  other  by  the  tie  of  consanguinity.  While  the  prestige 
and  power  of  the  League  have  passed  away,  the  transition  has 
been  the  result  of  the  onward  resistless  march  of  so-called 
civilization,  before  which  they  were  compelled  to  bow  because 
powerless  to  avert  what  fate  decreed  them.  The  League  was 
originally  composed  of  five  nations,  —  the  Mohawks,  Onondagas, 
Cayugas,  Senecas,  and  Oneidas.  In  1715  the  Tuscaroras, 
having  been  expelled  from  North  Carolina,  turned  to  the  North, 
and  sought  a  home  among  the  Iroquois.  They  were  admitted 
into  the  League,  and  territory  assigned  to  them  for  their  future 
home.  After  this  event  the  Iroquois  became  known  among  the 
English  by  the  name  of  the  "  Six  Nations."  The  origin  and 
history  of  the  League,  previous  to  the  discovery  of  America, 
are  given  to  us  only  in  the  dim  traditions  of  the  past.  The 


AN  IROQUOIS  WARRIOR. 


PRIMITIVE   RED   MEN. 


33 


Indians  had  no  written  records,  and  preserved  only  such  por- 
tions of  their  history  as  were  handed  down  from  generation  to 
generation  by  their  medicine  men,  or  prophets,  whom  they 
designated  "Keepers  of  the  Faith."  They  were  a  branch  of 
the  Algonquin  race,  and  the  centre  of  the  territory  occupied 
by  them  was  what  now  constitutes  the  State  of  New  York. 
The  project  of  a  League  originated  with  the  Onondagas,  among 
whom  it  was  first  suggested  as  a  means  to  enable  them  more 
effectually  to  resist  the  attacks  of  surrounding  nations.  Tradi- 
tions refer  to  the  northern  shore  of  Onondaga  Lake  as  the 
place  where  the  Iroquois  chiefs  assembled  in  general  council 
to  form  the  League. 

After  the  formation  of  the  League,  the  Iroquois  rose  rapidly 
in  power  and  influence.  They  gained  power  by  concentration 
of  effort,  and  gradually  assumed  control  of  substantially  the 
entire  country  east  of  the  Mississippi  River.  In  1615  the 
Iroquois  had  grown  into  a  populous  and  powerful  confederacy, 
and  had  entered  upon  a  career  of  conquest  that,  undoubtedly, 
but  for  the  advent  of  the  whites  would  have  given  them  control 
eventually  of  the  entire  continent.  This  having  been  accom- 
plished, the  principles  underlying  the  structure  of  the  League 
would  have  been  the  source,  doubtless,  from  which  would  have 
sprung  by  evolution  a  civilization  at  once  remarkable  and 
powerful. 

Very  soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  English,  friendly  relations 
were  established  with  the  Iroquois.  A  "  covenant  chain  "  was 
established  between  them  which  the  Iroquois,  with  singular 
fidelity,  reserved  unbroken  until  the  independence  of  the  United 
States  terminated  the  jurisdiction  of  the  English  over  this 
country.  In  marked  contrast  was  the  action  of  the  English 
and  the  French  in  their  treatment  of  the  Indians.  The  French 
thought  to  subjugate  the  Indian  by  intimidation  and  force,  while 
the  English  used  conciliation  and  forbearance.  In  those  early 
days  the  rival  colonies  of  France  and  England  were  nearly  bal- 
anced, and  the  influence  and  power  of  the  League  of  the  Iro- 
quois were  sufficient  to  turn  the  scale  in  favor  of  the  English. 
It  is  to  this  League  that  France  must  ascribe  the  final  overthrow 
of  her  magnificent  schemes  to  colonize  in  the  northern  part  of 
America. 


34  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

For  nearly  the  whole  century  between  1600  and  1700,  the 
Iroquois  were  engaged  in  almost  perpetual  warfare.  They  kept 
under  subjection  all  other  tribes  and  nations,  which,  feeble 
through  lack  of  unity,  fell  easy  prey  to  the  strength  and  power 
of  the  League.  The  decline  of  the  Iroquois  commenced  with 
their  first  intercourse  with  the  Europeans.  They  were  unable 
to  cope  with  the  firearms  of  the  English,  and  they  became 
degraded  by  the  use  of  the  "firewater"  with  which  they  were 
supplied  by  their  paleface  friends. 

The  "covenant  chain,"  already  referred  to  between  the  English 
and  the  Iroquois,  led  the  greater  portion  of  the  members  of  the 
League  to  side  with  the  English  during  the  American  Revolu- 
tion. History  records  no  more  striking  illustration  of  devotion 
to  plighted  word  than  the  action  of  the  League  of  the  Iroquois 
in  supporting  the  English,  because  the  "covenant  chain  "  bound 
them  together  in  amity  and  trust.  When  peace  came  between 
Great  Britain  and  the  United  States,  the  political  existence  of 
the  League  terminated.  The  jurisdiction  of  the  United  States 
extended  over  their  territories,  and  from  that  time  they  became 
dependent  nations,  at  the  mercy  of  their  conquerors,  and  recipi- 
ents of  their  bounty.  The  manner  in  which  they  became  dis- 
possessed of  some  of  the  finest  lands  in  America  forms  a  chapter 
of  human  wickedness  and  human  avarice  over  which  no  lover 
of  humanity  desires  to  linger.  Fragments  of  the  League  now 
surviving  still  have  their  relationship  and  intercourse  with  each 
other,  and  cling  to  the  forms  and  ceremonies  of  the  ancient 
League.  At  stated  intervals  they  assemble  in  council  to  raise 
up  with  their  primitive  forms  a  Sachem  to  fill  a  vacancy  occa- 
sioned by  death  or  deposition. 

While  the  encroachments  of  the  paleface  nation  have  driven 
from  their  hunting-grounds  the  League  of  the  Iroquois,  they 
have  left  an  indelible  impression  upon  the  geography  and 
nomenclature  of  the  original  territory  they  inhabited  which  will 
endure  for  all  coming  time  as  a  monument  to  their  sagacity 
and  intelligence.  Great  trails  by  which  they  communicated 
with  different  parts  of  their  possessions  were  most  judiciously 
selected,  and  after  the  country  was  surveyed,  these  trails  were 
used  for  the  public  roads  and  turnpikes  throughout  New  York. 
For  centuries  these  old  and  wonderful  trails  had  been  trod  by 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN. 


35 


the  Red  Men.  They  reached  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Missis- 
sippi, and  from  the  northern  lakes  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and 
were  as  familiar  to  the  Iroquois  as  our  own  roads  of  travel  have 
become  to  us. 

The  Iroquois  called  themselves  Ho-de-no-sau-nee,  which  signi- 
fies the  "people  of  the  long  house."  They  likened  their  con- 
federacy to  a  long  house  having  partitions  and  separate  fires 
within  each.  The  several  nations  were  sheltered  under  a  com- 
mon roof.  Among  themselves  they  have  never  had  any  other 
name.  Each  of  the  nations  composing  the  League  had  a  name 
indicative  of  the  location  upon  which  it  was  established. 

To  the  Iroquois,  by  common  consent,  has  been  assigned  the 
highest  position  among  the  Indian  races  of  the  continent  in  the 
establishment  of  a  league  for  the  double  purpose  of  acquiring 
strength  and  securing  position.  Their  capacity  for  civil  organi- 
zation and  their  wisdom  in  legislation  were  favorably  exhibited. 
The  League  contained  orators  and  chiefs  unrivalled  for  elo- 
quence in  council  and  bravery  upon  the  warpath.  Indeed  the 
League  of  the  Iroquois  exhibited  the  highest  development  of 
the  Indian  ever  reached  by  him  in  the  hunter  state. 

In  their  own  account  of  the  origin  of  the  League,  the  Iroquois 
invariably  go  back  to  a  remote  and  uncertain  period  when  the 
compact  between  the  Five  Nations  was  formed,  its  details  and 
provisions  settled  and  those  laws  and  institutions  established, 
under  which,  without  essential  change,  they  afterwards  contin- 
ued to  flourish.  Tradition  has  preserved  the  name  of  Da-ga-no- 
we-da  as  the  founder  of  the  League,  and  the  first  lawgiver  of 
the  Ho-de-no-sau-nee.  As  already  stated,  the  northern  shore 
of  Ga-nun-ta-ah,  or  Onondaga  Lake,  was  the  place  where  the 
first  council  fire  was  kindled,  around  which  the  Chiefs  and  Wise 
Men  of  the  several  nations  were  gathered,  and  where,  after  a 
debate  of  many  days,  the  League  was  established. 

Great  ingenuity  was  displayed  in  the  system  of  government 
adopted.  Fifty  permanent  Sachemships  were  created  with  appro- 
priate names,  and  in  these  Sachems  were  vested  the  supreme 
powers  of  the  Confederacy.  The  positions  were  made  heredi- 
tary under  limited  and  peculiar  laws  of  descent.  Their  powers 
were  joined  and  co-extensive  with  the  League.  Each  Sachem 
was  raised  up  and  vested  with  his  title  by  councils  of  all  the 


36  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Sachems,  with  suitable  forms  and  ceremonies,  and  until  this 
ceremony  was  performed,  no  one  could  be  a  ruler.  Thus  the 
government  of  the  Iroquois  was  an  oligarchy.  The  Sachem- 
ships  were  divided  among  the  nations,  and  upon  death  or  depo- 
sition of  a  Sachem,  the  individual  to  succeed  him  was  chosen 
from  the  nation  to  which  that  Sachemship  belonged,  and  the 
name  of  the  Sachemship  held  by  his  predecessor  was  conferred 
upon  the  new  candidate.  The  several  Sachems  were  the  ruling 
body  of  their  respective  nations,  exercising  the  same  power  over 
them,  and  in  precisely  the  same  manner,  as,  in  connection  with 
their  colleagues,  they  exercised  over  the  affairs  of  the  League 
at  large.  The  Sachems  of  each  nation  stood  upon  perfect 
equality  in  privileges,  the  influence  of  each  being  determined 
entirely  by  the  talent  of  the  individual.  The  title  by  which 
these  Sachems  were  known  as  a  class,  intimated  a  check  upon, 
rather  than  an  enlargement  of,  their  authority.  It  signified 
simply  "counsellor  of  the  people,"  a  beautiful  as  well  as  an 
appropriate  designation  of  a  ruler.  Besides  these  Sachemships, 
which  were  hereditary,  there  was  an  inferior  class  of  rulers 
called  chiefs.  These  chieftains  were  elected  as  a  reward  of 
merit.  The  title  terminated  with  the  life  of  the  individual. 

The  powers  and  duties  of  the  Sachems  and  Chiefs  were 
entirely  of  a  civil  character,  and  confined  by  their  organic  laws 
to  affairs  of  peace.  No  Sachem  could  go  to  war  in  his  official 
capacity  as  a  civil  ruler.  For  that  purpose  he  must  lay  aside 
his  civil  office  for  the  time  being,  and  take  the  warpath  as  a 
common  warrior. 

No  religious  functionaries  were  recognized  in  the  League. 
There  was,  however,  a  class  in  each  nation  styled  Ho-nun-de- 
unt,  "  Keepers  of  the  Faith,"  who  were  regularly  appointed  to 
officiate  at  their  festivals,  and  to  take  general  supervision  of 
their  religious  affairs. 

Theije  were  two  War  Chieftains  who  took  charge  of  affairs 
whenever  the  entire  nation  was  engaged  in  general  warfare. 

Thus  by  the  apparently  intricate  but  simple  form  of  govern- 
ment which  they  established,  the  councils  of  Sachems  took 
charge  of  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  public  welfare.  They 
exercised  the  executive,  legislative,  and  judicial  authority,  so 
far  as  the  same  was  not  possessed  by  the  people,  although  in 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  37 

many  things  their  powers  appear  to  have  been  advisory  rather 
than  executive.  The  Chiefs,  at  first  counsellors  between  the 
Sachems  and  the  people,  increased  in  influence  until  they 
became  rulers  nearly  equal  to  the  Sachems  themselves,  thus 
widening  and  liberalizing  the  oligarchy.  In  all  matters  of  war 
the  power  appears  to  have  rested  chiefly  with  the  people,  and 
its  prosecution  to  have  been  left  to  private  venture.  If  several 
bands  united,  they  had  as  many  generals  as  bands,  who  gov- 
erned their  proceedings  by  a  council.  Only,  as  in  civil  affairs, 
unanimity  was  necessary.  The  two  supreme  military  Chieftains 
planned  and  generally  managed  the  campaign. 

The  idea  permeating  the  whole  structure  was  that  the  govern- 
ment rested  upon  the  public  yill,  and  not  upon  the  arbitrary 
commands  of  the  Chiefs.  They  desired  to  accomplish  some- 
thing more  than  a  mere  confederacy  of  Indian  nations.  It 
was  rather  a  blending  together  of  national  sovereignty  into 
one  government.  The  League  made  the  Ho-de-no-sau-nee  one 
people,  with  one  government,  one  system  of  constitutions,  one 
executive  will.  The  crowning  feature  of  the  League,  as  a  politi- 
cal structure,  was  the  perfect  independence  and  individuality  of 
the  national  sovereignties,  in  the  midst  of  a  central  and  embrac- 
ing government,  adequate  to  deal  with  all  internal  affairs,  and 
powerful  enough  to  conquer  all  other  Indian  nations  with  which 
it  came  in  contact. 

The  plan  adopted  by  the  League,  to  weld  into  one  political 
family  the  various  nations  composing  it,  was  ingenious  and 
effective.  The  Indian  Tribe  differed  from  the  Athenian,  - 
Roman,  and  Jewish,  although  nearer  in  the  result  attained  to 
the  Jewish.  In  the  Jewish  Tribes  the  lineal  descent  is  by  the 
common  father,  while  in  the  Tribes  of  the  League  of  the  Iro- 
quois,  the  descent  followed  in  all  cases  the  female  line.  In  each 
nation  there  were  eight  tribes,  which  were  arranged  in  two 
divisions,  the  first  of  which  included  the  Wolf,  Bear,  Beaver, 
and  Turtle  Tribes,  and  the  second  division  included  the  Deer, 
Snipe,  Heron,  and  Hawk  Tribes.  These  names  had  an  emblem- 
atical signification,  the  family  name  being  the  totem  of  that 
particular  tribe.  This  division  of  the  people  of  each  nation  into 
eight  tribes  became  the  means  of  effecting  the  most  perfect 
union  of  separate  nations  ever  devised  by  the  wit  of  man.  The 


38  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

effect  was  that  each  tribe  was  divided  into  five  parts,  one-fifth 
being  placed  in  each  of  the  Five  Nations.  Between  these  sepa- 
rate parts  of  each  tribe  there  existed  a  tie  of  brotherhood  which 
bound  the  nations  closely  together.  This  relationship  was 
founded  upon  actual  consanguinity.  The  Mohawk  of  the  Wolf 
Tribe  was  actually  the  brother  of  the  Seneca  of  the  Wolf  Tribe. 
Thus  every  member  of  any  particular  tribe,  in  whatever  nation, 
was  brother  or  sister  to  every  other,  as  if  children  of  the  same 
mother.  This  relationship  exists  down  to  the  present  time,  and 
furnishes  the  chief  reason  of  the  tenacity  with  which  the  frag- 
ments of  the  League  cling  together.  Civil  war  was  thus  ren- 
dered impossible,  as  a  collision  would  have  turned  each  tribe 
against  itself.  The  wisdom  of  this  provision  was  proved  by  the 
fact  .that,  during  the  long  period  through  which  the  League 
gained  and  exercised  such  great  power,  it  never  encountered 
anarchy  nor  experienced  any  internal  conflicts.  Of  the  League, 
it  has  with  great  truth  been  said,  that  it  was  simple  in  its  foun- 
dation upon  family  relationships,  effective  in  the  lasting  vigor 
inherent  in  the  ties  of  kindred,  and  perfect  in  its  success.  It 
achieved  a  permanent  and  harmonious  union  of  the  nations,  and 
formed  an  enduring  monument  to  that  proud  and  progressive 
race  which  reared  under  its  protection  a  widespread  Indian 
sovereignty. 

The  laws  on  marriage  restricted  union  to  the  two  divisions 
of  the  tribes.  Members  of  the  Wolf,  Bear,  Beaver,  and  Turtle 
Tribes  could  not  intermarry,  but  they  could  marry  with  the 
members  of  the  Deer,  Snipe,  Heron,  and  Hawk  Tribes.  Al- 
though in  process  of  time  the  rigor  of  this  law  was  somewhat 
relaxed,  the  prohibition  is  yet  religiously  observed  as  applied  to 
the  individual  tribe.  They  can  now  marry  into  any  tribe  but 
their  own.  Under  these  regulations  the  husband  and  wife  were 
always  of  different  tribes,  and  the  children  always  followed  the 
tribe  of  the  mother.  All  titles,  rights,  and  property  were  trans- 
mitted in  the  female  line  to  the  exclusion  of  the  male.  By  these 
means  the  Sachemship  assigned  to  any  nation,  or  tribe  of  a 
nation,  at  the  original  organization  of  the  League,  could  never 
pass  out  of  that  tribe.  The  certainty  of  purity  of  descent  of 
their  principal  chiefs  was  secured  by  this  infallible  rule,  as  under 
it,  it  is  absolutely  certain  that  the  ruling  Sachem  at  the  present 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  39 

day  is  of  the  same  family  or  tribe  by  lineal  descent  with  the 
first  holder  of  the  title. 

Upon  the  decease  of  a  Sachem,  a  tribal  council  assembled  to 
determine  upon  his  successor.  The  individual  having  been 
selected,  a  council  was  summoned  by  the  nation,  of  all  the 
Sachems  of  the  League,  and  the  new  Sachem  was  raised  up  by 
such  council,  and  invested  with  his  office.  With  the  power  of 
tribes  to  select  a  Sachem  was  exercised  an  equal  power  of  depo- 
sition. If  by  misconduct  a  Sachem  lost  the  confidence  and 
respect  of  his  tribe,  and  became  unworthy  of  authority,  a  tribal 
council  at  once  deposed  him,  and  having  selected  a  successor, 
summoned  a  council  of  the  League  to  perform  the  ceremony  of 
investiture.  H 

The  rule  prevailed  in  the  League  to  assign  to  each  Chief  or 
Sachem  a*  new  name  upon  his  assumption  of  official  position. 
When  an  individual  was  raised  up  as  a  Sachem,  his  original 
name  was  laid  aside,  and  that  of  the  Sachemship  itself  assumed. 
In  like  manner,  at  the  raising  up  of  a  Chief,  a  council  of  the 
nation  which  performed  the  ceremony  gave  the  new  Chief  a 
new  name,  which,  in  some  manner,  referred  to  some  striking 
peculiarity  of  the  individual.  The  celebrated  Red  Jacket,  re- 
nowned for  his  powers  of  eloquence,  was  given  the  title  of 
Sa-go-ye-wat-ha,  which  signifies  "  Keeper  Awake." 

From  what  has  already  been  stated  in  relation  to  the  League 
of  the  Iroquois,  it  can  be  gathered  that  it  was  no  ordinary 
sagacity  that  conceived  such  a  wise  and  comprehensive  scheme 
of  organization.  The  confederacy  was  not  formed  for  war,  but 
it  was  the  boast  of  the  Iroquois  that  its  great  object  was  peace, 
and  to  break  up  the  spirit  of  perpetual  warfare  which  had  wasted 
the  Red  Men  from  age  to  age.  Thus  they  had  the  highest 
possible  conception  of  human  government.  They  sought  to 
concentrate  into  one  political  fraternity  the  various  Indian 
nations,  and  to  prevent  the  injection  of  those  elements  of  decay 
by  which  the  nations  of  the  earth,  each  in  its  turn,  have  been 
destroyed.  Had  the  League  of  the  Iroquois  been  left  to  work 
out  its  destiny,  it  is  not  too  much  to  claim  that  it  would  eventu- 
ally have  ruled  the  entire  continent,  and  founded  a  civilization 
equal,  in  time,  to  anything  the  history  of  the  world  has  ever 
recorded. 


40  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Allusion  has  been  made  to  the  elective  office  of  Chief,  which 
was  bestowed  upon  any  member  of  the  tribe,  or  nation,  who,  by 
military  achievements  or  wisdom  in  the  council,  had  proved 
himself  worthy  of  distinction.  Yet  none  of  these  Chiefs,  how- 
ever able  or  strong  his  individuality,,  could  lift  himself  higher 
than  to  the  title  of  Chief.  The  number  of  Sachems  remained 
unchanged  from  the  beginning,  and  the  tenure  of  the  office 
descended  by  inheritance  in  the  tribe  to  which  each  was  origi- 
nally assigned.  The  Chiefs  gained  great  power  and  influence; 
but  the  office  of  Sachem  was  surrounded  by  impassible  barriers 
which  could  not  be  passed  by  those  who  were  outside  of  the 
immediate  family  of  the  Sachem  and  the  tribe  in  which  the  title 
was  hereditary. 

The  Indian  had  a  quick  and  enthusiastic  appreciation  of  elo- 
quence, and  the  chief,  or  warrior,  with  its  magical  power  could 
lift  himself  as  rapidly  as  he  who  gained  renown  upon  the  war- 
path. It  may  be  said  that  the  life  of  the  Iroquois  was  either 
spent  in  the  chase,  on  the  warpath,  or  at  the  council  fire. 
Nearly  every  transaction,  whether  social  or  political,  originated 
or  terminated  in  a  council.  The  councils  of  the  League  were 
of  three  kinds :  civil,  mourning,  and  religious.  The  civil  coun- 
cils, Ho-de-os-seh,  were  confined  to  transacting  business  with 
foreign  nations,  and  to  regulating  the  internal  administration  of 
the  Confederacy.  The  mourning  councils,  Hen-nun-do-nuh-seh, 
were  summoned  to  raise  up  Sachems,  to  fill  vacancies  caused 
by  death  or  deposition,  and  to  ratify  the  investiture  of  such 
Chiefs  as  the  nations  had  raised  up  as  a  reward  for  public  ser- 
vice. The  religious  councils,  Ga-e-we-yo-do  Ho-de-os-hen-da-ko, 
were,  as  the  name  implies,  devoted  to  religious  observance. 

The  civil  council,  whose  title  signifies  "devising  together," 
could  be  convened  by  each  nation  under  established  regulations. 
A  proposition  having  been  submitted  to  one  of  the  nations,  the 
Sachems  of  that  nation  would  first  hold  a  council  to  determine 
if  the  matter  were  of  sufficient  importance  to  place  before  the 
general  council  of  the  League.  If  so  determined,  runners  were 
sent  to  the  nearest  nation  with  a  belt  of  wampum  into  which  had 
been  "  talked  "  the  fact  that  at  a  certain  time  and  place,  and  for 
the  purpose  mentioned,  a  council  of  the  League  would  be  held. 
In  obedience  to  the  summons  the  Sachems  and  people  assem- 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  4 1 

bled  at  the  place  of  the  council.  Questions  were  reduced  to 
propositions  calling  for  an  affirmative  or  a  negative  response, 
and  were  thus  either  adopted  or  rejected.  The  Sachems  having 
assembled,  the  representative  of  the  foreign  nation  was  intro- 
duced. The  council  was  opened  by  returning  thanks  to  the  Great 
Spirit  for  permitting  them  to  meet  together,  and  the  envoy  was 
informed  that  the  council  was  ready  to  hear  him  open  the  busi- 
ness for  which  it  was  convened.  Having  stated  his  case,  he 
retired,  and  the  Sachems  proceeded  to  deliberate  and  decide. 
Unanimity  was  the  fundamental  law.  If  this  unanimity  could 
not  be  reached,  the  whole  matter  was  laid  aside,  and  further 
action  became  at  once  impossible.  The  envoy  was  so  informed, 
and  the  business  of  the  council  was  terminated.  A  remarkable 
instance  of  this  failure  to  agree  was  the  action  of  the  League 
at  the  beginning  of  the  American  Revolution.  The  Oneida 
Sachems  firmly  resisted  the  assumption  of  hostilities,  and  a 
quasi  compromise  was  finally  adopted  which  permitted  each 
individual  nation  to  act  upon  its  own  responsibility.  The  result 
was  that  part  of  the  League  assisted  the  British  and  the  other 
part  the  Colonists. 

The  Hen-nun-do-nuh-seh  signifies  a  mourning  council,  and  was 
always  called  upon  the  occasion  of  raising  up  a  Sachem,  or  con- 
firming the  investiture  of  such  Chiefs  as  had  been  previously 
raised  up  by  the  nation.  It  embraces  the  two-fold  object  of 
lamenting  the  deceased  and  of  establishing  a  successor  in  the 
Sachemship  made  vacant  by  death.  To  the  nation  which  had 
lost  a  Sachem  by  death  belonged  the  power  to  summon  a  council 
and  to  designate  the  day  and  place.  Belts  of  wampum  were 
sent  out  on  such  occasions,  conveying  the  summons  for  the 
council,  and  announcing  the  place  and  time.  In  obedience  to 
the  summons  the  old  and  young  from  the  remotest  parts  came 
to  the  place  of  the  council.  Runners  were  sent  on  in  advance 
to  announce  the  arrival  of  the  approaching  nation.  On  the  day 
appointed,  all  preliminary  arrangements  having  been  perfected, 
the  various  nations  were  received  with  appropriate  ceremony. 
A  council  fire  was  kindled,  around  which  the  Chiefs  of  the 
visiting  nations  walked,  singing  appropriate  songs  of  mourning 
designed  for  the  occasion.  The  pipe  of  peace  was  circulated, 
and  speeches  were  exchanged  between  the  parties.  Then  all 


42  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

advanced  to  the  general  council  fire,  where  the  principal  cere- 
monies proceeded.  Dignity  and  decorum,  and  great  gravity  and 
earnestness,  marked  these  mourning  councils.  The  lament  was 
a  tribute  to  the  virtues  and  to  the  memory  of  the  departed 
Sachem,  a  mourning  scene  in  which  not  only  the  tribes  and 
nations  of  the  deceased,  but  the  League  itself  participated. 
The  ceremony  of  raising  up  a  successor  which  followed  was  a 
succession  of  musical  chants  with  choruses  intermingled  with 
speeches  and  responses.  The  whole  ceremony  was  conducted 
with  a  spirit  of  silence  and  solemnity  which  invested  it  with 
singular  interest. 

A  prominent  part  of  the  ceremonial  consisted  in  the  repeti- 
tion of  their  ancient  laws  and  usages,  and  exposition  of  the 
structure  and  principles  of  the  League  for  the  instruction  of 
the  inducted  rulers.  Among  these  injunctions  was  one  that 
came  down  from  the  founder  of  the  League,  designed  to  impress 
upon  their  minds  the  necessity  of  union  and  harmony.  In  the 
figurative  language  of  the  Red  Man,  they  were  enjoined  to  plant 
a  tree,  with  four  roots  branching  severally  to  the  north,  south, 
east,  and  west.  Beneath  its  shade  the  Sachems  of  the  League 
must  sit  down  together  in  perpetual  unity,  if  they  would  pre- 
serve its  stability,  or  secure  the  advantages  it  was  calculated  to 
bestow.  If  they  did  this,  the  power  of  the  Ho-de-no-sau-nee 
would  be  planted  as  firmly  as  the  oak,  and  the  blasts  of  adverse 
fortune  would.rage  against  it  in  vain. 

These  laws  were  repeated  from  strings  of  wampum  into  which 
they  had  been  "  talked  "  at  the  time  of  their  enactment.  Only 
those  familiar  with  the  secret  records  could  interpret  them  ;  but 
no  importance  was  attached  to  a  promise  or  assurance  of  a  for- 
eign power  unless  belts  or  strings  of  wampum  had  been  given 
it  in  recollection.  One  of  the  original  Sachems  was  constituted 
"Keeper  of  the  Wampum,"  and  was  required  to  be  versed  in 
its  interpretation.  The  original  wampum  of  the  Iroquois  was 
made  of  spiral  fresh-water  shells,  which  were  strung  on  deer- 
skin strings,  or  sinews,  and  the  strands  braided  into  belts,  or 
simply  united  into  strings.  Hubbard,  in  his  narrative  of  the 
Indian  history  of  New  England,  describes  wampum  in  general 
as  follows :  — 

"  It  is  of  two  sorts,  white  and  purple.     The  white  is  worked 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  43 

out  of  the  inside  of  the  great  conch  into  the  form  of  a  bee,  and 
perforated  to  string  on  leather.  The  purple  is  worked  out  of 
the  inside  of  the  mussel  shell.  They  are  woven  as  broad  as 
one's  hand  and  about  two  feet  long.  These  they  call  belts,  and 
give  and  receive  them  at  their  treaties  as  the  seals  of  their 
friendships." 

The  proceedings  of  the  ceremony  of  investiture  were  closed 
with  a  presentation  of  the  newly  invested  rulers  to  the  people, 
under  the  names  of  their  respective  Sachemships,  which  from 
that  day  they  were  permitted  to  assume.  Then  followed  feast- 
ing and  dancing  which  continued  sometimes  for  several  days, 
the  days  being  spent  in  athletic  games,  and  the  evenings  in 
feasting  and  dancing.  The  council  having  been  ended,  and  the 
spirit  of  festivity  exhausted,  the  embers  of  the  fire  were  raked 
together,  and  the  several  nations  returned  to  their  respective 
homes. 

The  third  form  of  councils  embraced  their  religious  festivals 
and  ceremonies,  and  will  be  more  clearly  understood  by  the 
description  which  follows  of  the  various  festivities,  feasts,  and 
dances. 

History  shows  that  man  has  ever  sought  to  unravel  the 
mystery  of  creation,  and  upon  this  impulse  has  been  built 
whatever  form  of  religion  or  worship  the  world  has  known. 
Instinctively  man  has  turned  to  a  higher  power  or  influence 
made  manifest  in  the  elements  around  him,  and  whose  grandeur 
he  could  appreciate,  whose  power  he  felt,  and  whose  nature  he 
vaguely  comprehended.  His  mind  grasped  the  idea  that  the 
source  was  beyond  human  control.  Hence  there  arose  in  his 
mind  the  conception  of  an  Omnipotent  and  Supreme  Being  by 
whose  hand  was  controlled  the  destinies  of  himself  and  his  people. 

Thus  it  was  with  the  League  of  the  Iroquois,  and  it  is  claimed 
that  while  in  their  inferior  spiritualities  they  fell  infinitely  below 
the  splendid  creation  of  ancient  mythology,  in  the  knowledge  of 
the  Supreme  Being  they  rose  above  the  highest  conceptions  of 
ancient  philosophy.  Indeed,  ancient  religions  contained  no  such 
exalted  conception  as  the  Divine  Being,  worshipped  by  the 
entire  red  race  under  the  appellation  of  the  Great  Spirit.  Like 
the  ancients,  the  Iroquois  believed  that  the  Great  Spirit  was 
born,  and  this  belief  prevailed  among  all  the  Indian  nations  upon 


44  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

the  North  American  continent.  They  believed  the  Great  Spirit 
to  be  their  Creator,  Ruler,  and  Preserver,  and  that  he  held 
supreme  power.  He  created  not  only  the  animal  and  vegetable 
world,  but  also  adapted  the  elements  in  the  whole  visible  uni- 
verse to  the  wants  of  man.  They  believed  in  the  personal 
existence  and  constant  superintending  care  of  the  Great  Spirit, 
who  was  the  God  of  the  Indian  alone,  and  who  was  believed  to 
be  self-existent  and  immortal.  While  they  believed  in  the 
existence  of  the  Great  Spirit,  Ha-wen-ne-yu,  they  also  recognized 
the  personal  existence  of  an  Evil  Spirit,  Ha-ne-go-ate-geh,  the 
Evil-intended.  According  to  their  legends  these  were  brothers, 
and  both  immortal.  The  Evil  Spirit  had  creative  power  in  a 
limited  degree.  The  Great  Spirit  created  man  and  all  useful 
animals,  while  the  Evil  Spirit  created  all  monsters,  reptiles,  and 
noxious  plants.  The  Great  Spirit  created  everything  that  was 
good  and  for  the  benefit  of  man,  while  the  Evil  Spirit  created 
everything  that  was  bad  and  injurious  to  him.  They  also  recog- 
nized multitudes  of  inferior  or  subordinate  spirits,  but  over  them 
all,  supreme  in  power,  was  the  Great  Spirit  who  could,  if  he 
chose  to  exercise  the  power,  overcome  all  the  subordinate  spirits, 
including  the  Evil  Spirit  his  brother.  Thus  He-no  was  the  god 
of  Thunder,  who  was  declared  to  be  partly  human  and  partly  of 
celestial  origin,  and  who  was  addressed  by  the  Iroquois  as 
Grandfather.  The  legend  of  He-no  is  as  follows  :  — 

"  A  young  maiden  residing  at  Ga-u-gwa,  a  village  above 
Niagara  Falls,  at  the  mouth  of  Cayuga  creek,  had  been  con- 
tracted to  an  old  man  of  ugly  manners  and  disagreeable  person. 
As  the  marriage  was  hateful  to  her,  and  by  the  customs  of  the 
nation  there  was  no  escape,  she  resolved  upon  self-destruction. 
Launching  a  bark  canoe  into  the  Niagara,  she  seated  herself 
within  it,  and,  composing  her  mind  for  the  frightful  descent, 
directed  it  down  the  current.  The  rapid  waters  soon  swept 
them  over  the  falls,  and  the  canoe  was  seen  to  fall  into  the 
abyss  below,  but  the  maiden  had  disappeared.  Before  she 
reached  the  waters  underneath  she  was  caught  in  a  blanket  by 
He-no  and  his  two  assistants  and  carried  without  injury  to  the 
home  of  the  Thunderer  behind  the  fall.  Her  beauty  attracted 
one  of  the  dependents  of  He-no  who  willingly  joined  them  in 
marriage. 


NIAGARA    FALLS. 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  45 

"  For  several  years  before  this  event,  the  people  at  Ga-u-gwa 
had  been  troubled  with  an  annual  pestilence,  and  the  source  of 
the  scourge  had  baffled  all  conjecture.  He-no,  at  the  expiration 
of  a  year,  revealed  to  her  the  cause  and  the  remedy.  He  told 
her  that  a  monstrous  serpent  dwelt  under  the  village,  and  made 
his  annual  repast  upon  the  bodies  of  the  dead  which  were  buried 
by  its  side.  That  to  insure  a  bounteous  feast,  he  went  forth 
once  a  year  and  poisoned  the  waters  of  the  Niagara,  and  also  of 
the  Cayuga  creek,  whereby  the  pestilence  was  created.  The 
people  were  directed  to  move  to  the  Buffalo  creek.  He  also 
gave  her  careful  directions  touching  the  education  of  the  child 
of  which  she  was  to  become  the  mother.  With  these  directions 
she  departed  on  her  mission. 

"  After  the  people  had  removed  as  directed,  the  great  serpent, 
disappointed  of  his  food,  put  his  head  above  the  ground  to  dis- 
cover the  reason,  and  found  that  the  village  was  deserted. 
Having  scented  their  trail,  and  discovered  its  course,  he  went 
forth  into  the  lake  and  up  the  Buffalo  creek  in  open  search  of 
his  prey.  While  in  this  narrow  channel,  He-no  discharged  upon 
the  monster  a  terrible  thunderbolt  which  inflicted  a  mortal 
wound.  The  Senecas  yet  point  to  a  place  in  the  creek  where 
the  banks  are  semicircular  either  side,  as  the  spot  where  the 
serpent  after  he  was  struck,  turning  to  escape  into  the  deep 
waters  of  the  lake,  shoved  out  the  banks  on  either  side.  Before 
he  succeeded  in  reaching  the  lake,  the  repeated  attacks  of  the 
thunderbolt  took  effect,  and  the  monster  was  slain. 

"  The  huge  body  of  the  serpent  floated  down  the  stream,  and 
lodged  upon  the  verge  of  the  cataract,  stretching  nearly  across 
the  river.  A  part  of  the  body  arched  backwards  near  the 
northern  shore  in  a  semicircle.  The  raging  waters,  thus  dammed 
up  by  the  body,  broke  through  the  rocks  behind  ;  and  thus  the 
whole  verge  of  the  fall  upon  which  the  body  rested  was  pre- 
cipitated with  it  into  the  abyss  beneath.  In  this  manner,  says 
the  legend,  was  formed  the  Horse-Shoe  fall. 

"  Before  this  event  there  was  a  passage  behind  the  sheet  from 
one  shore  to  the  other.  This  passageway  was  not  only  broken 
up,  but  the  home  of  He-no  was  also  destroyed  in  the  general 
crash.  Since  then  his  habitation  has  been  in  the  west. 

"  The  child  of  the  maiden  grew  up  to  boyhood,  and  was  found 


46  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

to  possess  the  power  of  darting  the  lightning  at  his  will.  It  had 
been  the  injunction  of  He-no  that  he  should  be  reared  in  retire- 
ment, and  not  allowed  to  mingle  in  the  strifes  of  men.  On 
a  certain  occasion,  having  been  beset  by  a  playmate  with  great 
vehemence,  he  transfixed  him  with  a  thunderbolt.  He-no  im- 
mediately translated  him  to  the  clouds,  and  made  him  third 
assistant  Thunderer." 

The  Iroquois  had  a  beautiful  myth  in  relation  to  three  spirits 
which  they  called  the  Three  Sisters ;  the  Spirit  of  Corn,  the 
Spirit  of  Beans,  and  the  Spirit  of  Squashes.  These  plants  were 
regarded  as  a  special  gift  of  the  Great  Spirit,  and  they  believed 
that  each  was  intrusted  with  a  separate  spirit  for  the  benefit  of 
the  Indian.  These  spirits  were  supposed  to  have  the  forms 
of  beautiful  females,  to  be  very  fond  of  each  other,  and  dejight 
to  dwell  together.  In  the  growing  season  they  were  thought  to 
visit  the  fields  and  dwell  among  them.  They  were  known  under 
the  name  of  He-o-ha-ko,  "Our  Life,"  or  "Our  Supporters." 
They  are  never  mentioned  separately.  The  legend  supposed 
that  originally  the  corn  was  of  easy  cultivation,  yielded  abun- 
dantly, and  had  a  grain  exceedingly  rich  with  oil.  The  Evil 
Spirit,  envious  of  this  great  gift  of  Ha-wen-ne-yu  to  man,  went 
forth  into  the  fields,  and  spread  over  it  a  universal  blight. 
Since  then  it  has  been  harder  to  cultivate,  yields  less  abun- 
dantly, and  lost  its  original  richness.  When  the  rustling  wind 
waves  the  corn  with  a  moaning  sound,  the  pious  Indian  fancies 
that  he  hears  the  Spirit  of  the  Corn,  in  her  compassion  for 
the  red  man,  bemoaning  with  unavailing  regrets  her  blighted 
fruitfulness. 

Thus,  in  the  mythology  of  the  Iroquois,  they  surrounded 
themselves  with  innumerable  spirits,  to  all  of  which  they  re- 
turned thanks  as  subordinates  of  Ha-wen-ne-yu  under  the  gen- 
eral name  of  Ho-no-che-no-keh,  signifying  "the  Invisible  Aids," 
which  included  the  whole  spiritual  world  from  He-no,  the  Thun- 
derer, down  to  the  Spirit  of  the  Strawberry.  At  the  religious 
festivals  of  the  Iroquois,  one  invocation  was,  "Great  Spirit, 
master  of  all  things,  visible  and  invisible ;  Great  Spirit,  master 
of  other  spirits,  whether  good  or  evil ;  command  the  good  spirits 
to  favor  thy  children ;  command  the  evil  spirits  to  keep  at  a 
distance  from  them." 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN. 


47 


The  Iroquois  believed  that  tobacco  was  given  them  as  a 
means  of  communication  with  the  spirit  world.  The  smoke  of 
the  burning  weed  ascending  to  Heaven  carried  with  its  incense 
their  petitions  to  the  Great  Spirit,  and  rendered  their  acknowl- 
edgments acceptable  for  his  blessings.  By  its  instrumentality 
they  believed  that  they  would  more  easily  reach  the  ear  of  the 
Great  Spirit,  and  receive  favorable  responses  to  their  petitions. 
The  Iroquois  believed  firmly  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and 
looked  forward  to  "  the  happy  home  beyond  the  setting  sun  " 
as  a  final  resting-place  after  death.  This  was  taught  as  a  funda- 
mental article  of  faith.  They  believed  in  probation  and  punish- 
ment after  death. 

Reverence  for  the  aged,  as  elsewhere  stated,  was  one  of  the 
precepts  of  the  ancient  faith  of  the  Iroquois,  and  their  religious 
teachers  always  inculcated  the  duty  of  protecting  their  aged 
parents  as  an  invocation  from  the  Great  Spirit.  Among  the 
roving  tribes  of  the  wilderness,  the  old  and  helpless  were  fre- 
quently abandoned,  and  in  some  cases  executed  as  an  act  of 
greater  kindness  than  desertion.  But  the  Iroquois,  after  the 
formation  of  the  League, .resided  in  permanent  villages  which 
afforded  refuge  for  the  aged.  One  of  the  prominent  aims  of 
the  League  was  to  join  the  people  together  by  the  family  tie, 
thus  creating  among  them  the  universal  spirit  of  hospitality. 

Respect  for  the  dead  was  another  element  of  their  faith. 
There  were  various  customs  of  burial,  to  which  allusion  has 
already  been  made  in  this  chapter.  Sometimes  they  buried 
them  in  the  earth  ;  at  other  times  the  body  was  exposed  on  bark 
scaffolds  erected  on  poles,  01  secured  on  the  limbs  of  trees. 
The  religious  system  of  the  Iroquois  taught  that  the  journey 
from  earth  to  heaven  was  of  long  duration.  Originally  it  was 
supposed  to  be  a  year,  and  the  period  of  mourning,  for  the  de- 
parted, was  fixed  at  that  time.  The  spirit  of  the  deceased  was 
supposed  to  hover  around  the  body  for  a  season  before  it  took 
its  final  departure.  A  beautiful  custom  prevailed  in  ancient 
times  of  capturing  a  bird,  and  freeing  it  over  the  grave,  on  the 
evening  of  the  burial,  to  bear  away  the  spirit  to  its  heavenly 
rest.  With  the  body  of  the  deceased  were  deposited  his  bow 
and  arrows,  tobacco  and  pipe,  and  necessary  food  to  nourish 
him  during  the  journey  from  earth  to  the  happy  hunting- 


48  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

grounds.  Included  in  their  funeral  ceremonies  was  a  lamenta- 
tion over  the  body  addressed  to  the  spirit,  which  they  believed 
could  hear  them  although  unable  to  answer.  The  following  is 
given  as  a  specimen  of  these  lamentations,  being  the  address  of 
an  Iroquois  mother  over  the  body  of  her  son  before  the  body 
was  borne  away  for  burial :  — 

"  My  son,  listen  once  more  to  the  words  of  thy  mother.  Thou 
wert  brought  into  life  with  her  pains.  Thou  wert  nourished 
with  her  life.  She  has  attempted  to  be  faithful  in  raising  thee 
up.  When  thou  wert  young  she  loved  thee  as  her  life.  Thy 
presence  has  been  a  source  of  great  joy  to  her.  Upon  thee  she 
depended  for  support  and  comfort  in  her  declining  days.  She 
has  ever  expected  to  gain  the  end  of  the  path*  of  life  before 
thee.  But  thou  hast  outstripped  her,  and  gone  before  her.  Our 
great  and  wise  Creator  has  ordered  it  thus.  By  his  will  I  am 
left  to  taste  more  of  the  miseries  of  this  world.  Thy  friends 
and  relatives  have  gathered  about  thy  body  to  look  upon  thee 
for  the  last  time.  They  mourn,  as  with  one  mind,  thy  departure 
from  among  us.  We,  too,  have  but  a  few  days  more,  and  our 
journey  shall  be  ended.  We  part  now,  and  you  are  conveyed 
from  our  sight ;  but  we  shall  soon  meet  again,  and  shall  again 
look  upon  each  other.  Then  we  shall  part  no  more.  Our 
Maker  has  called  you  to  his  home.  Thither  will  we  follow. 
Na-ho ! " 

Heaven  was  the  abode  of  the  Great  Spirit,  and  the  final  home 
of  the  faithful,  and  they  believed  a  road  led  down  from  heaven 
to  every  man's  door,  and  along  this  road  the  soul  ascended  to 
heaven  at  death,  until  it  reached  its  place  in  the  happy  hunting- 
grounds  above.  No  evil  could  enter  this  peaceful  home  of 
innocence  and  purity.  But  among  the  Iroquois  the  idea  of 
a  hunting-ground  was  not  prevalent  as  among  the  other  Indian 
nations.  Among  the  beliefs  engrafted  on  the  ancient  faith, 
none  is  more  worthy  of  notice  than  that  relating  to  Washington, 
whose  name  among  the  Iroquois  was  Ho-no-da-ga-ne-ars,  signi- 
fying "Town  Destroyer."  This  legend  we  quote  as  follows  :  — 

"According  to  their  present  belief,  no  white  man  ever  reached 
the  Indian  heaven.  Not  having  been  created  by  the  Great 
Spirit,  no  provision  was  made  for  him  in  their  scheme  of  theology. 
He  was  excluded  both  from  heaven,  and  from  the  place  of  pun- 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN. 


49 


ishment.  But  an  exception  was  made  in  favor  of  Washington. 
Because  of  his  justice  and  benevolence  to  the  Indian,  he  stood 
pre-eminent  above  all  other  white  men.  When,  by  the  peace 
of  1783,  the  Indians  were  abandoned  by  their  English  allies, 
and  left  to  make  their  own  terms  with  the  American  govern- 
ment, the  Iroquois  were  more  exposed  to  severe  measures  than 
the  other  tribes  in  their  alliance.  At  this  critical  moment, 
Washington  interfered  in  their  behalf,  as  the  protector  of  Indian 
rights,  and  the  advocate  of  a  policy  towards  them  of  the  most 
enlightened  justice  and  humanity.  After  his  death,  he  was 
mourned  by  the  Iroquois  as  a  benefactor  of  their  race,  and  his 
memory  was  cherished  with  reverence  and  affection.  A  belief 
was  spread  abroad  among  them  that  the  Great  Spirit  had  re- 
ceived him  into  a  celestial  residence  upon  the  plains  of  heaven, 
the  only  white  man  whose  noble  deeds  had  entitled  him  to  this 
heavenly  favor.  Just  by  the  entrance  of  heaven  is  a  walled 
enclosure,  the  ample  grounds  within  which  are  laid  out  with 
avenues  and  shaded  walks.  Within  is  a  spacious  mansion,  con- 
structed in  the  fashion  of  a  fort.  Every  object  in  nature,  which 
could  please  a  cultivated  taste,  had  been  gathered  in  this  bloom- 
ing Eden,  to  render  it  a  delightful  dwelling-place  for  the  immor- 
tal Washington.  The  faithful  Indian,  as  he  enters  heaven, 
passes  this  enclosure.  He  sees  and  recognizes  the  illustrious 
inmate,  as  he  walks  to  and  fro  in  quiet  meditation.  But  no 
word  ever  passes  his  lips.  Dressed  in  his  uniform,  and  in  a 
state  of  perfect  felicity,  he  is  destined  to  remain  through  eter- 
nity in  the  solitary  enjoyment  of  the  celestial  residence  prepared 
for  him  by  the  Great  Spirit. 

"  Surely  the  piety  and  the  gratitude  of  the  Iroquois  have, 
jointly,  reared  a  monument  to  Washington  above  the  skies, 
which  is  more  expressive  in  its  praise  than  the  proudest  recitals 
on  the  obelisk,  and  more  imperishable  in  its  duration  than  the 
syenite  which  holds  up  the  record  to  the  gaze  of  centuries." 

The  Iroquois  had  a  systematic  worship,  consisting  in  the 
celebration  of  periodical  festivals  held  at  stated  seasons  of  the 
year,  and  suggested  by  the  changes  in  the  seasons,  ripening  of 
the  fruits,  and  the  gathering  of  the  harvests.  There  were  six 
regular  festivals  or  thanksgivings.  These  in  regular  order 
were  the  Maple  festival,  the  Planting,  the  Strawberry,  the 


50  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Green  Corn,  and  the  Harvest  festivals ;  last,  the  New  Year's 
festival,  the  great  jubilee  of  the  Iroquois,  at  which  the  White 
Dog  was  sacrificed.  Each  of  these  festivals  referred  to  a  par- 
ticular plant,  or  season,  at  which  it  was  celebrated. 

While  they  had  no  priests,  or  preachers,  as  they  are  understood 
among  palefaces,  yet  in  each  nation  of  the  League  there  were 
certain  persons  selected  to  take  charge  of  their  religious  festivals, 
and  the  general  supervision  of  the  worship.  They  were  styled 
Ho-nun-de-ont,  or  "  Keepers  of  the  Faith,"  as  the  term  literally 
signifies.  The  office  was  elective,  and  continued  as  long  as  the 
individual  was  faithful  to  his  trust.  It  was  their  duty  to  desig- 
nate the  time  for  holding  the  periodical  festivals,  to  make  the 
necessary  arrangements  for  celebration,  and  to  conduct  the  cere- 
monies. Women,  as  well  as  men,  were  appointed,  and  in  about 
equal  numbers ;  and  it  was  the  special  duty  of  the  women  who 
were  keepers  of  the  faith,  to  prepare  the  entertainment  for  the 
people  who  attended  the  festival. 

At  the  various  festivals  the  order  of  exercises  seems  to  have 
included  a  thanksgiving  address,  smoking  the  pipe  of  peace,  an 
invocation  to  the  Great  Spirit,  and  feasting  and  dancing.  The 
festival  usually  lasted  four  days,  and  each  day  was  used  for  its 
special  feature  in  observance  of  the  festival. 

Among  the  ceremonies  incident  to  the  worship  of  the  Iroquois, 
the  most  novel  were  those  attending  the  New  Year's  jubilee. 
The  prominent  act  in  this  festival  was  the  burning  of  the  White 
Dog.  The  festival  lasted  seven  days,  and  the  sacrifice  of  the 
White  Dog  was  made  on  the  fifth  day  of  the  festival.  Prelimi- 
nary to  the  festival,  two  of  the  Keepers  of  the  Faith,  disguised  in 
deer  skins,  or  buffalo  robes,  visited  every  house  in  the  village, 
and  summoned  the  people  to  the  festival,  in  the  name  of  the 
Great  Spirit.  A  white  dog  was  selected  because  white  was  the 
Iroquois  emblem  of  purity  and  of  faith.  Around  the  neck  of 
the  dog  was  hung  a  string  of  white  wampum,  the  pledge  of  their 
sincerity.  On  successive  days  of  the  festival  feasting  and  danc- 
ing were  engaged  in.  On  the  morning  of  the  fifth  day,  soon 
after  dawn,  the  White  Dog  was  burned  on  an  altar  of  wood 
erected  by  the  keepers.  The  idea  of  the  sacrifice  seems  to  have 
been  to  send  up  the  spirit  of  the  dog  as  a  messenger  to  the 
Great  Spirit,  to  announce  their  continued  fidelity  to  his  services, 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  51 

and  to  convey  to  him  their  united  thanks  for  the  blessings  of 
the  year.  .The  fidelity  of  the  dog,  the  companion  of  the  Indian 
as  a  hunter,  was  emblematical  of  their  fidelity.  No  messenger 
more  trusty  could  be  found  to  bear  their  petitions  to  the  Master 
of  Life.  The  Iroquois  believed  that  the  Great  Spirit  made  a 
covenant  with  their  fathers,  that  when  they  should  send  up  the 
spirit  of  a  dog  of  spotless  white,  he  would  receive  it  as  a  pledge 
of  their  adherence  to  his  worship,  and  his  ears  would  thus  be 
opened  in  a  special  manner  to  their  petitions.  The  white 
wampum  hung  around  the  neck  of  the  dog  was  a  further  emblem 
of  their  sincerity  of  purpose. 

The  burning  of  the  dog  was  attended  with  many  ceremonies. 
A  fire  was  kindled  upon  the  altar,  a  speech  was  made  by  one  of 
the  Keepers  of  the  Faith,  in  which  he  referred  to  the  antiquity 
of  the  festival  and  its  importance  and  solemnity,  and  in  which  he 
enjoined  upon  all  to  direct  their  thoughts  to  the  Great  Spirit, 
and  unite  with  the  Keepers  of  the  Faith  in  the  ceremonies.  A 
chant  or  song  appropriate  to  the  occasion  was  then  sung,  the 
people  joining  in  chorus.  A  procession  was  then  formed,  the 
faith  keeper  preceding,  followed  by  four  others  bearing  the  dog 
upon  a  kind  of  litter,  behind  which  came  the  people  in  Indian 
file.  After  the  dog  had  been  laid  upon  the  burning  altar,  and 
while  it  was  being  consumed,  an  invocation  to  the  Great  Spirit 
was  made  by  the  officiating  Keeper  of  the  Faith.  Then  followed 
the  great  thanksgiving  address  of  the  Iroquois.  During  the 
delivering  of  the  address,  the  speaker  threw  leaves  of  tobacco 
into  the  fire,  from  time  to  time,  that  its  incense  might  constantly 
ascend  during  the  whole  address.  The  following  is  given  as  the 
translation  of  this  address  of  thanksgiving,  and  is  an  admirable 
specimen  of  Indian  eloquence  and  imagery. 

"  Hail,  Hail,  Hail  :  Listen  now,  with  an  open  ear,  to  the 
words  of  thy  people,  as  they  ascend  to  thy  dwelling,  in  the 
smoke  of  our  offering.  Behold  thy  people  here  assembled. 
Behold,  they  have  come  up  to  celebrate  anew  the  sacred  rites 
thou  hast  given  them.  Look  down  upon  us  beneficently.  Give 
us  wisdom  faithfully  to  execute  thy  commands. 

"  Continue  to  listen  :  The  united  voice  of  thy  people  con- 
tinues to  ascend  to  thee.  Forbid,  by  thy  wisdom,  all  things 
which  shall  tempt  thy  people  to  relinquish  their  ancient  faith. 


52  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Give  us  power  to  celebrate  at  all  times,  with  zeal  and  fidelity, 
the  sacred  ceremonies  which  thou  hast  given  us. 

"  Continue  to  listen :  Give  to  the  keepers  of  the  faith 
wisdom  to  execute  properly  thy  commands.  Give  to  our  war- 
riors and  our  mothers  strength  to  perform  the  sacred  cere- 
monies of  thy  institution.  We  thank  thee  that,  in  thy  wisdom, 
thou  hast  given  to  us  these  commands.  We  thank  thee  that 
thou  hast  preserved  them  pure  unto  this  day. 

"  Continue  to  listen :  We  thank  thee  that  the  lives  of  so 
many  of  thy  children  are  spared  to  participate  in  the  exercises 
of  this  occasion.  Our  minds  are  gladdened  to  be  made  par- 
takers in  the  execution  of  thy  commands. 

"  We  return  thanks  to  our  mother,  the  earth,  which  sustains 
us.  We  thank  thee  that  thou  hast  caused  her  to  yield  so  plenti- 
fully of  her  fruits.  Cause  that,  in  the  season  coming,  she  may 
not  withhold  of  her  fulness  and  leave  any  to  suffer  from  want. 

"  We  return  thanks  to  the  rivers  and  streams  which  run  their 
courses  upon  the  bosom  of  our  mother,  the  earth.  We  thank 
thee  that  thou  hast  supplied  them  with  life  for  our  comfort  and 
support.  Grant  that  this  blessing  may  continue. 

"  We  return  thanks  to  all  the  herbs  and  plants  of  the  earth. 
We  thank  thee  that  in  thy  goodness  thou  hast  blessed  them  all, 
and  given  them  strength  to  preserve  our  bodies  healthy,  and  to 
cure  us  of  the  diseases  inflicted  upon  us  by  evil  spirits.  We  ask 
thee  not  to  take  from  us  these  blessings. 

"  We  return  thanks  to  the  Three  Sisters.  We  thank  thee 
that  thou  hast  provided  them  as  the  main  supporters  of  our  lives. 
We  thank  thee  for  the  abundant  harvest  gathered  in  during  the 
past  season.  We  ask  that  Our  Supporters  may  never  fail  us,  and 
cause  our  children  to  suffer  from  want. 

"  We  return  thanks  to  the  bushes  and  trees  which  provide  us 
with  fruit.  We  thank  thee  that  thou  hast  blessed  them,  and 
made  them  to  produce  for  the  good  of  thy  creatures.  We  ask 
that  they  may  not  refuse  to  yield  plentifully  for  our  enjoyment. 

"  We  return  thanks  to  the  winds  which,  moving,  have  banished 
all  diseases.  We  thank  thee  that  thou  hast  thus  ordered.  We 
ask  the  continuation  of  this  great  blessing. 

"  We  return  thanks  to  our  grandfather,  He-no.  We  thank 
thee  that  thou  hast  so  wisely  provided  for  our  happiness  and 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  53 

comfort  in  ordering  the  rain  to  descend  upon  the  earth,  giving 
us  water  and  causing  all  plants  to  grow.  We  thank  thee  that 
thou  hast  given  us  He-no,  our  grandfather,  to  do  thy  will  in  the 
protection  of  thy  people.  We  ask  that  this  great  blessing  may 
be  continued  to  us. 

"  We  return  thanks  to  the  moon  and  stars  which  give  us  light 
when  the  sun  has  gone  to  his  rest.  We  thank  thee  that  thy 
wisdom  has  so  kindly  provided,  that  light  is  never  wanting  to  us. 
Continue  unto  us  this  kindness. 

"  We  return  thanks  to  the  sun,  that  he  has  looked  upon  the 
earth  with  a  beneficent  eye.  We  tha^nk  thee,  that  thou  hast,  in 
thy  unbounded  wisdom,  commandecT"the  sun  to  regulate  the 
return  of  the  seasons,  to  dispense  heat  and  cold,  and  to  watch 
over  the  comfort  of  thy  people.  Give  unto  us  that  wisdom 
which  will  guide  us  in  the  path  of  truth.  Keep  us  from  all  evil 
ways,  that  the  sun  may  never  hide  his  face  from  us  for  shame, 
and  leave  us  in  darkness. 

"We  return  thanks  to  the  Ho-no-che-no-keh.  We  thank 
thee,  that  thou  hast  provided  so  many  agencies  for  our  good 
and  happiness. 

"  Lastly,  we  return  thanks  to  thee,  our  Creator  and  Ruler. 
In  thee  are  embodied  all  things.  We  believe  that  thou  canst 
do  no  evil ;  that  thou  doest  all  things  for  our  good  and  happi- 
ness. Should  thy  people  disobey  thy  commands  deal  not 
harshly  with  them  ;  but  be  kind  to  us,  as  thou  hast  been  to  our 
fathers  in  times  long  gone  by.  Hearken  unto  our  words  as 
they  have  ascended,  and  may  they  be  pleasing  to  thee  our 
Creator,  the  Preserver  and  Ruler  of  all  things  visible  and  in- 
visible. Na-ho !  " 

The  sixth  and  the  seventh  days  were  observed  in  about  the 
same  manner  as  one  of  their  ordinary  religious  days  at  which 
the  thanksgiving  address  was  introduced.  These  festivals  were 
observed  from  generation  to  generation,  from  the  foundation  of 
the  League  down  to  the  present  time.  They  formed  a  striking 
illustration  of  the  deep  religious  sentiment  prevailing  among 
the  Iroquois,  the  fruits  of  which  were  peace,  brotherly  kindness, 
charity,  hospitality,  integrity,  truth,  and  friendship  among  them- 
selves, and  reverence,  thankfulness,  and  faith  towards  the  Great 
Spirit. 


54  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

The  dance  was  a  most  important  element  among  the  Iroquois 
in  the  performance  of  their  ceremonies,  and  was  regarded  as  a 
thanksgiving  ceremonial  acceptable  to  the  Great  Spirit,  and 
designed  for  their  pleasure  as  well  as  for  his  worship.  They 
had  thirty-two  distinct  dances,  of  which  twenty-six  were  claimed 
to  be  of  their  own  invention.  Each  had  a  separate  history  and 
object,  as  well  as  a  different  degree  of  popular  favor.  Some 
were  costume  dances,  and  performed  by  a  small  and  select  band. 
Some  were  designed  exclusively  for  females,  others  for  warriors 
alone ;  but  the  greater  part  were  open  to  both  sexes.  Many 
were  used  among  the  Iroquois  exclusively,  while  others  were  in 
general  use  among  the  Indians  from  Maine  to  Oregon.  The 
Feather  and  the  War  dances  ranked  first  in  estimation.  Appro- 
priate costumes  were  used,  some  idea  of  which  may  be  gained 
from  the  illustrations  given  in  this  book  of  an  Iroquois  warrior 
and  an  Iroquois  woman.  Of  the  two  dances  mentioned,  the 
War  dance  was  the  favorite.  It  was  the  mode  of  enlistment, 
and  the  dance  which  preceded  the  departure  of  a  war  party,  and 
with  which  its  return  was  celebrated.  It  was  used  at  the  rais- 
ing up  qf  Sachems,  at  the  adoption  of  a  captive,  at  the  enter- 
tainment of  a  guest,  and  was  the  first  dance  taught  to  the  young. 
The  War  dance  was  usually  performed  in  the  evening.  The 
music  was  usually  furnished  by  four  singers,  who  accompanied 
themselves  by  beating  time  upon  drums.  The  dance  was  chiefly 
upon  the  heel,  which  was  raised  and  brought  down  with  great 
quickness  and  force  by  muscular  strength,  to  keep  time  with 
the  beating  of  the  drum,  to  make  a  resounding  noise  by  the 
action,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  shake  the  knee-rattles,  which 
contributed  materially  -to  the  pomp  and  circumstance  of  the 
dance.  In  the  War  dance  the  attitudes  were  those  of  violent 
passions,  and,  consequently,  were  not  graceful.  At  the  same 
instant  of  time,  in  a  group  of  dancers,  one  might  be  seen  in  the 
attitude  of  attack,  another  of  defence  ;  one  in  the  act  of  drawing 
the  bow,  another  striking  with  the  war-club ;  some  in  the  act 
of  throwing  the  tomahawk,  some  of  listening  and  watching  an 
opportunity,  and  others  of  striking  the  foe.  The  War  dance 
originated  among  the  Sioux,  and  was  adopted  by  the  Iroquois 
at  a  remote  period  of  time. 

Next  in  favor  and  importance  to  the  War  dance  was  the  great 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  55 

Feather  dance,  sometimes  called  the  Religious  dance,  because 
specially  consecrated  to  the  worship  of  the  Great  Spirit.  Tra- 
dition stated  that  it  was  invented  by  To-do-da-ho  at  the  forma- 
tion of  the  League.  It  was  performed  by  a  selected  band, 
ranging  from  fifteen  to  thirty,  in  full  costume,  and  was  chiefly 
used  at  their  religious  festivals.  It  is  described  as  the  most 
splendid,  graceful,  and  remarkable  in  the  whole  collection,  re- 
quiring greater  powers  of  endurance,  suppleness,  and  flexibility 
of  person,  and  gracefulness  of  deportment  than  either  of  the 
others.  The  music  was  furnished  by  two  singers,  seated  in 
the  centre  of  the  room,  each  having  a— turtle-shell  rattle.  The 
music  was  made  by  songs,  the  rattles  being  used  to  mark  the 
time. 

Each  of  the  other  dances  used  had  a  meaning  and  significance 
appropriate  to  the  occasion  upon  which  it  was  employed.  One 
dance  was  peculiar,  in  that  the  Indian  maiden  selected  her  part- 
ner. The  warrior  never  solicited  the  maiden  to  dance  with 
him.  Another  dance  worthy  of  mention  was  called  O-ke-wa, 
the  Dance  for  the  Dead.  It  was  danced  by  the  women  alone 
to  plaintive  and  mournful  music.  This  dance  was  had  whenever 
a  family  which  had  lost  a  member  called  for  it,  which  was 
usually  about  a  year  after  the  death. 

As  a  matter  of  interest  we  give  the  following  names  of  the 
various  dances  used  by  the  Iroquois:  — 

1  O-sto-weh-go-wa Great  Father  Dance.     For  both  sexes. 

2  Ga-na-o-uh Great  Thanksgiving  Dance.  " 

3  Da-yun-da-nes-hunt-ha       .     .     .  Dance  with  Joined  Hands.  " 

4  Ga-da-shote Trotting  Dance.  " 

5  O-to-wa-ga-ka North  Dance.  " 

6  Je-ha-ya Antique  Dance.  " 

7  Ga-no-jit-ga-o Taking  the  Kettle  out.  " 

8  Ga-so-wa-o-no Fish  Dance.  " 

9  Os-ko-da-ta Shaking  the  Bush.  " 

10  Ga-no-ga-yo Rattle  Dance.  " 

1 1  So-wek-o-an-no Duck  Dance.  •  " 

12  Ja-ko-wa-o-an-no Pigeon  Dance.  " 

13  Guk-sa-ga-ne-a Grinding  Dishes. 

14  Ga-so-a Knee  Rattle  Dance.  " 

15  O-ke-wa Dance  for  the  Dead.          For  Females. 

16  O-as-ka-ne-a Shuffle  Dance. 

17  Da-swa-da-ne-a Tumbling  Dance. 


56  IMPROVED   ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

18  Ga-ne-a-seh-o Turtle  Dance.  For  Females. 

19  Un-da-da-o-at-ha Initiation  Dance  for  Girls.  " 

20  Un-to-we-sus Shuffle  Dance.  " 

21  Da-}  o-da-sun-da-e-go    ....  Dark  Dance.  " 

22  Wa-sa-seh Sioux,  or  War  Dance.  For  Males. 

23  Da-ge-ya-go-o-an-no      ....  Buffalo  Dance.  " 

24  Ne-a-gwi-o-an-no Bear  Dance. 

25  Wa-a-no-a Striking  the  Stick.  " 

26  Ne-ho-sa-den-da Squat  Dance.  " 

27  Ga-na-un-da-do Scalp  Dance.  " 

28  Un-de-a-ne-suk-ta Track  Finding  Dance.  " 

29  Eh-nes-hen-do Arm  Shaking  Dance.  " 

30  Ga-go-sa False  Face  Dance. 

31  Ga-je-sa False  Face  Dance. 

32  Un-da-de-a-dus-shun-ne-at-ha      .  Preparation  Dance.  " 


Beside  their  religious  ceremonies,  dances,  and  other  festivals, 
the  Iroquois  had  their  national  games  in  which  they  engaged 
with  all  possible  zeal  and  enthusiasm.  These  contests  were 
between  nation  and  nation,  village  and  village,  or  tribe  and 
tribe,  and  not  between  individual  champions.  The  prize  was 
victory,  and  belonged  not  to  the  players,  but  to  the  party  which 
they  represented.  They  bet  with  each  other  freely  on  the 
result  of  the  games,  and  it  was  not  unusual  for  an  Indian  to 
gamble  away  every  valuable  article  which  he  possessed,  includ- 
ing his  tomahawk,  his  medal,  ornaments,  and  even  his  blanket. 
Prominent  among  these  games  was  the  ball  game  which  easily 
led  the  others  in  popularity.  Goals  were  erected  at  either  end 
of  the  field  in  which  the  contest  took  place,  the  goals  being 
about  eighty  rods  apart.  The  contest  between  the  players  was 
to  see  which  could  carry  the  ball  through  the  goal  a  given  num- 
ber of  times.  The  game  required  great  skill  and  endurance  as 
well  as  physical  courage.  The  other  games,  such  as  the  game  of 
Javelins,  Deer  Buttons,  Snow-Snake  game,  Peach-Stone  game, 
were  used  principally  for  gambling. 

The  Indian  was  also  extremely  proficient  in  archery.  The 
Indian  bow  was  usually  three  and  one-half  to  four  feet  in  length, 
and  it  required  great  muscular  strength  to  draw  the  bow  to  its 
full  extent.  The  arrow  was  about  three  feet  in  length  and 
feathered  at  the  small  end  with  a  twist  which  caused  it  to 
revolve  in  its  flight,  giving  a  motion  similar  to  the  twist  in  the 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  57 

rifle  barrel.  The  arrow  was  pointed  with  flint,  and  was  really 
a  dangerous  weapon  in  the  hands  of  one  proficient  in  its  use. 

The  celebration  of  their  games  was  carried  on  with  enthu- 
siasm that  clearly  attested  their  popularity,  and  proved  that  in 
the  solitudes  of  the  American  wilderness,  long  before  the  advent 
of  the  white  man,  the  Iroquois  had  enjoyed  their  surroundings, 
and  were  contented  and  happy  with  the  forms  and  customs 
inherited  from  their  ancestors. 

In  judging  of  the  Indian  character  as  portrayed  by  the  League 
of  the  Iroquois,  it  should  always  be  borne  in  mind  that  judg- 
ment should  be  based  upon  the  influstces  which  actuated  them, 
and  not  upon  standards  founded  upon  our  own  experience  as  a 
civilized  people.  For  a  better  understanding  of  these  influences, 
a  brief  reference  is  appropriate  to  their  social  customs  and  their 
personal  relations.  They  resided  in  permanent  villages  located 
on  the  banks  of  rivers  and  lakes,  or  in  the  vicinity  of  copious 
springs.  The  Ga-no-sote,  or  Bark  house,  was  a  simple  structure 
erected  by  them  in  their  villages,  the  dimensions  being  about 
twenty  feet  by  fifteen,  and  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  high. 
They  were  made  with  poles,  and  covered  with  bark,  and  fitted  up 
with  simple  yet  sufficient  conveniences  for  the  uses  of  the  family. 

The  marriage  relation  among  the  Iroquois  was  peculiar. 
Affection  was  not  considered,  the  affair  being  entirely  a  matter 
of  convenience  and  physical  necessity.  The  contract  was  not 
made  between  the  parties  to  be  married,  but  was  usually 
adjusted  by  their  mothers,  and  often  after  a  conference  among 
the  leading  and  influential  women  and  men  of  the  tribes  to 
which  the  parties  respectively  belonged.  Disparity  in  age 
seems  to  have  been  no  bar  in  the  earlier  history  of  the  League, 
although  in  later  days  the  ages  of  the  couple  more  nearly 
approximated.  The  marriage  ceremony  was  extremely  simple. 
An  announcement  was  made  to  the  parties,  and  on  the  follow- 
ing day,  the  maiden  was  conducted  by  her  mother,  accompanied 
by  a  few  female  friends,  to  the  home  of  her  intended  husband. 
She  carried  in  her  hand  a  few  cakes  of  corn  bread,  which  she 
presented,  on  entering  the  house,  to  her  mother-in-law  as  an 
earnest  of  her  usefulness  and  of  her  skill  in  the  domestic  arts. 
On  receiving  it,  the  mother  of  the  young  warrior  returned  a 
present  of  venison,  or  other  fruit  of  the  chase,  to  the  mother  of 


58  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

the  bride  as  a  proof  of  his  ability  to  provide  for  his  household. 
This  exchange  of  presents  ratified  and  concluded  the  contract 
which  bound  the  new  pair  together  in  the  marriage  relation. 
Such  a  thing  as  love  as  understood  among  the  palefaces  was 
entirely  unknown  among  the  Iroquois.  After  marriage  attach- 
ments naturally  would  spring  up  between  the  parties  by  associa- 
tion, habit,  and  mutual  dependence.  This  was  the  result  of  the 
circumstances  surrounding  Indian  habits  and  mode  of  life.  The 
male  sought  the  society  of  the  male  exclusively,  and  in  the  same 
manner  the  female  sought  the  companionship  of  her  own  sex. 
The  secret  of  this  custom  in  part  may  be  traced  to  the  inequality 
of  the  sexes.  The  Indian  regards  woman  as  an  inferior,  and 
from  force  of  habit  and  tradition,  she  accepted  the  position  thus 
assigned  her ;  this  being  remembered,  the  lack  of  association 
between  the  sexes  is  more  easily  understood. 

Polygamy  was  forbidden  among  the  Iroquois,  and  never 
became  a  practice.  There  was  separation  between  husband 
and  wife  if  they  failed  to  agree,  although  every  possible  means 
was  used  by  the  mothers  of  the  married  pair  to  restore  harmony 
before  the  final  separation  was  permitted.  It  will  be  remem- 
bered that  the  husband  and  wife  were  never  of  the  same  tribe, 
and  the  children  were  of  the  tribe  of  their  mother.  The  father 
had  no  right  to  the  custody  of  the  children,  and  after  separa- 
tion, he  gave  himself  no  further  trouble  concerning  them.  The 
Indian  father  seldom  caressed  his  children,  or  manifested  any 
solicitude  for  their  welfare,  until  the  sons  reached  manhood  and 
were  able  to  be  his  companions  in  the  hunt  or  on  the  war-path. 
The  care  of  the  children  during  infancy  and  childhood  was  en- 
trusted to  the  watchful  affection  of  the  mother  alone. 

The  rights  of  property  of  both  husband  and  wife  continued 
distinct  after  marriage  the  same  as  before,  each  having  the 
right  of  possession  and  of  transfer  of  title.  At  the  death  of 
the  husband,  his  property  descended,  not  to  his  wife  or  children, 
unless  in  the  presence  of  a  witness  he  had  so  bequeathed  them, 
but  they  were  handed  over  to  his  nearest  relatives  in  his  own 
tribe  as  personal  mementos  of  the  deceased. 

One  of  the  strongest  characteristics,  and  most  attractive  feat- 
ures of  Indian  society,  was  the  spirit  of  hospitality  by  which  it 
was  pervaded,  and  a  description  of  this  crowning  virtue,  carried 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  59 

to  a  degree  of  universality  by  the  Iroquois  beyond  that  of  any 
other  people,  is  worthy  of  reproduction  here,  not  only  as  an 
indication  of  the  innate  nobility  of  Indian  character,  but  as 
an  example  worthy  of  imitation  in  the  organization  which  seeks 
to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  their  forms  and  customs.  Their 
houses  were  not  only  open  to  each  other,  at  all  hours  of  the  day 
and  of  the  night,  but  also  to  the  wayfarer  and  to  the  stranger. 
Such  entertainment  as  their  means  afforded  was  freely  spread 
before  him,  with  words  of  kindness  and  of  welcome.  The 
Indian  had  no  regular  meal  after  the  rooming  repast,  but  he 
allayed  his  appetite  whenever  the  occasion  offered.  The  care 
of  the  appetite  was  left  entirely  with  the  women,  as  the  Indian 
never  asked  for  food.  Whenever  the  husband  returned,  at  any 
hour  in  the  day,  it  was  the  duty  and  the  custom  of  the  wife  to 
set  food  before  him.  If  a  neighbor,  or  a  stranger,  entered  her 
dwelling,  a  dish  of  hominy,  or  whatever  else  she  had  prepared, 
was  immediately  placed  before  him,  with  an  invitation  to  par- 
take. It  made  no  difference  at  what  hour  of  the  day,  or  how 
numerous  the  calls,  this  courtesy  was  extended  to  every  comer, 
and  was  the  first  act  of  attention  bestowed.  This  custom  was 
universal,  in  fact,  one  of  the  laws  of  their  social  system  ;  and  a 
neglect  on  the  part  of  the  wife  to  observe  it  was  regarded  both 
as  a  breach  of  hospitality  and  as  a  personal  affront.  A  neighbor, 
or  a  stranger,  calling  from  house  to  house,  through  an  Indian 
village,  would  be  thus  entertained  at  every  dwelling  he  entered. 
If  the  appetite  of  the  guest  had  thus  been  fully  satisfied,  he  was 
yet  bound  in  courtesy  to  taste  of  the  dish  presented,  and  to 
return  the  customary  acknowledgment,  Hi-ne-a-weh,  "I  thank 
you  ; "  an  omission  to  do  either  being  esteemed  a  violation  of 
the  usages  of  life.  .  A  stranger  would  be  thus  entertained  with- 
out charge  as  long  as  he  was  pleased  to  remain ;  and  a  relation 
was  entitled  to  a  home  among  any  of  his  kindred  while  he  was 
disposed  to  claim  it.  Under  the  operation  of  such  a  simple  and 
universal  law  of  hospitality,  hunger  and  destitution  were  entirely 
unknown  among  them.  This  method  of  dealing  with  the  human 
appetite  strikes  the  mind  as  novel ;  but  it  was  founded  upon  a 
principle  of  brotherhood  and  of  social  intercourse,  not  much 
unlike  the  common  table  of  the  Spartans.  The  abounding  sup- 
plies of  corn  yielded,  with  light  cultivation,  by  their  fruitful 


60  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

fields,  and  the  simple  fare  of  the  Indians,  rendered  the  prevail- 
ing hospitality  an  inconsiderable  burden.  It  rested  chiefly  upon 
the  industry,  and,  therefore,  upon  the  natural  kindness,  of  the 
woman,  who,  by  the  cultivation  of  the  maize  and  their  other 
plants,  and  the  gathering  of  the  wild  fruits,  provided  the  princi- 
pal part  of  their  subsistence,  for  the  warrior  despised  the  toil 
of  husbandry,  and  held  all  labor  beneath  him  ;  but  it  was  in 
exact  accordance  with  the  unparalleled  generosity  of  the  Indian 
character.  He  would  surrender  his  dinner  to  feed  the  hungry, 
vacate  his  bed  to  refresh  the  weary,  and  give  up  his  apparel  to 
clothe  the  naked.  No  test  of  friendship  was  too  severe,  no  sac- 
rifice to  repay  a  favor  too  great,  no  fidelity  to  an  engagement 
too  inflexible  for  the  Indian  character.  With  an  innate  knowl- 
edge of  the  freedom  and  dignity  of  man,  he  has  exhibited  the 
noblest  virtues  of  the  heart,  and  the  kindest  deeds  of  humanity. 

A  further  illustration  of  these  noble  characteristics  of  the 
Iroquois  is  given  in  the  following  anecdote  :  — 

"  Canassatego,  a  distinguished  Onondaga  chief,  who  flourished 
about  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  thus  cuttingly  contrasted 
the  hospitality  of  the  Iroquois  with  that  of  the  whites,  in  a  con- 
versation with  Conrad  Weiser,  an  Indian  interpreter.  '  You 
know  our  practice.  If  a  white  man,  in  travelling  through  our 
country,  enters  one  of  our  cabins,  we  all  treat  him  as  I  do 
you.  We  dry  him  if  he  is  wet,  we  warm  him  if  he  is  cold,  and 
give  him  meat  and  drink  that  he  may  allay  his  hunger  and  thirst ; 
and  we  spread  soft  furs  for  him  to  rest  and  sleep  on.  We  de- 
mand nothing  in  return ;  but  if  I  go  into  a  white  man's  house  at 
Albany,  and  ask  for  victuals  and  drink,  they  say  :  "Where  is 
your  money  ? "  And  if  I  have  none  they  say,  "  Get  out,  you  Indian 
dog."'" 

Crimes  and  offences  were  so  infrequent  among  the  Iroquois, 
that  a  criminal  code  was  scarcely  necessary.  Offences  were 
punished  in  proportion  to  their  magnitude,  as  already  described 
concerning  the  practices  among  the  New  England  Indians. 
Adultery  was  punished  by  whipping ;  but  the  punishment  was 
inflicted  upon  the  woman  alone,  who  was  supposed  to  be  the 
only  offender.  Murder  was  punished  with  death,  but  could  be 
condoned.  The  murderer  could  be  executed  by  the  family  of 
his  victim  whenever  they  found  him.  no  matter  what  the  lapse 


PRIMITIVE   RED  MEN.  6 1 

of  time.  But  a  present  of  white  wampum,  sent  on  the  part  of 
the  murderer  to  the  family  of  his  victim,  when  accepted,  forever 
obliterated  and  wiped  out  the  memory  of  the  transaction.  This 
present  of  white  wampum  was  not  in  the  nature  of  a  compen- 
sation for  the  life  of  the  deceased,  but  was  regarded  as  a  regretful 
confession  of  the  crime,  with  a  petition  for  forgiveness.  All  the 
influence  of  the  tribe  to  which  the  victim  belonged  was  brought 
to  bear  upon  his  relations  to  secure  the  acceptance  of  the  present 
of  white  wampum,  and  reconciliation  was  usually  effected  except 
in  aggravated  cases  of  premeditated  murdferr  Theft  was  scarcely 
known  among  the  Indians  until  after  the  advent  of  the  white 
race.  In  striking  contrast  to  their  simplicity  and  innocence  was 
the  condition  of  affairs,  the  result  of  their  intercourse  with  the 
whites,  and  with  the  introduction  of  "  fire-water  "  among  them 
by  the  traders.  The  use  of  liquor  filled  their  villages  with 
vagrancy,  violence,  and  bloodshed  ;  it  invaded  the  peace  of  the 
domestic  fireside,  stimulated  the  fiercest  passions,  introduced 
disease,  contention,  and  strife,  and  it  probably  did  more  than 
any  other  single  agency  to  secure  the  downfall  and  decay  of  the 
once  powerful  League  of  the  Iroquois. 

The  love  of  truth  was  another  marked  trait  of  the  Indian 
character.  On  all  occasions,  and  in  whatever  peril,  the  Indian 
spoke  the  truth  without  fear  and  without  hesitation.  Their 
language  was  simple  and  direct,  and  did  not  admit  of  different 
shades  of  meaning  and  nice  discriminations  bordering  upon 
actual  prevarication.  They  adhered  with  unwavering  fidelity  to 
the  faith  of  the  treaties  they  made,  and  this  fidelity  furnishes 
one  of  the  proudest  monuments  of  their  national  integrity. 
Allusion  has  already  been  made  to  the  "covenant  chain"  with 
the  British,  to  which  they  remained  faithful,  until  their  entire 
country  became  forfeited  by  their  fidelity.  All  their  national 
compacts  were  "  talked  into "  strings  of  wampum  which  were 
delivered  to  Ho-no-we-na-to,  the  Onondaga  Sachem,  the  hered- 
itary keeper  of  the  wampum.  The  expression,  "  This  belt 
preserves  my  words,"  was  frequently  used  at  the  close  of  Indian 
speeches,  as  reference  to  this  custom.  Indian  nations,  after 
making  a  treaty,  always  exchanged  wampum  belts  which  were 
not  only  the  ratification,  but  the  memorandum  of  the  com- 
pact. 


62  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Their  manner  of  adoption  of  captives,  and  their  form  of  enlist- 
ment for  the  war-path,  are  alluded  to  in  another  chapter  of  this 
book  in  describing  the  degrees  of  our  Order. 

Hunting  was  a  passion  with  the  Red  Man.  He  pursued  it 
not  only  for  subsistence  for  himself  and  his  family,  but  for  the 
excitement  and  employment  it  afforded.  In  their  pursuit  of 
game,  the  Iroquois  roamed  the  whole  territory  which  they  held 
under  subjection,  from  the  St.  Lawrence  on  the  north  to  the 
Ohio  on  the  south.  The  great  lakes,  the  rushing  rivers,  and  the 
vast  forests  contained  the  game  they  sought,  and  which  they 
regarded  as  the  special  gifts  of  the  Great  Spirit  for  the  sub- 
sistence of  their  people. 

About  the  year  1 800  a  new  religious  teacher  appeared  among 
the  Iroquois,  who  claimed  to  have  received  a  revelation  from  the 
Great  Spirit,  with  a  command  to  preach  to  the  Iroquois  the  doc- 
trines with  which  he  had  been  intrusted.  The  new  religion 
embodied  all  the  precepts  of  the  ancient  faith,  and  recognized 
the  ancient  mode  of  worship,  giving  to  it  anew  the  sanction  of 
the  Great  Spirit,  and  it  also  comprehended  such  new  doctrines 
as  came  in  to  enlarge  the  primitive  system  without  impairing  the 
structure  itself.  The  new  religion  became  generally  adopted  as 
the  prevailing  faith  of  the  Iroquois. 

This  religious  teacher  was  Ga-ne-o-di-yo,  or  Handsome  Lake, 
a  Seneca  Sachem  of  the  highest  class.  He  was  born  in  1735  of 
the  Turtle  tribe,  and  was  a  half-brother  of  Corn  Planter.  Upon 
his  death  Sose-ha-wa  was  appointed  his  successor.  He  was  a 
grandson  of  Handsome  Lake,  and  a  nephew  of  the  famous  Red- 
jacket. 

At  the  mourning  and  religious  councils  of  the  League,  held 
at  intervals  of  a  few  years,  it  was  customary  to  set  apart  por- 
tions of  three  or  four  days  to  listen  to  a  discourse  upon  the  new 
religion.  At  one  of  these  mourning  councils  held  in  October, 
1848,  the  discourse  delivered  by  Sose-ha-wa  was  taken  down, 
and  the  following  is  a  translation  of  it :  — 

"The  Mohawks,  the  Onondagas,  the  Senecas,  and  our  chil- 
dren (the  Oneidas,  Cayugas,  and  Tuscaroras)  have  assembled 
here  to-day  to  listen  to  the  repetition  of  the  will  of  the  Great 
Spirit,  as  communicated  to  us  from  heaven  through  his  servant, 
Ga-ne-o-di-yo. 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  63 

"  Chiefs,  warriors,  women,  and  children :  We  give  you  a 
cordial  welcome.  The  sun  has  advanced  far  in  his  path,  and 
I  am  warned  that  my  time  to  instruct  you  is  limited  to  the 
meridian  sun.  I  must  therefore  hasten  to  perform  my  duty. 
Turn  your  minds  to  the  Great  Spirit,  and  listen  with  strict 
attention.  Think  seriously  upon  what  I  am  about  to  speak. 
Reflect  upon  it  well  that  it  may  benefit  you  and  your  children. 
I  thank  the  Great  Spirit  that  he  has  spared  the  lives  of  so  many 
of  you  to  be  present  on  this  occasion.  I  return  thanks  to  him 
that  my  life  is  yet  spared.  The  Great  Spirit  looked  down  from 
heaven  upon  the  sufferings  and  the  wanderings  of  his  red  chil- 
dren. He  saw  that  they  had  greatly  decreased  and  degener- 
ated. He  saw  the  ravages  of  the  fire-water  among  them.  He 
therefore  raised  up  for  them  a  sacred  instructor,  who,  having 
lived  and  travelled  among  them  for  sixteen  years,  was  called 
from  his  labors  to  enjoy  eternal  felicity  with  the  Great  Spirit 
in  heaven.  Be  patient  while  I  speak.  I  cannot  at  all  times 
arrange  and  prepare  my  thoughts  with  the  same  precision. 
But  I  will  relate  what  my  memory  bears. 

"It  was  in  the  month  of  O-nike-ya  (June)  that  Handsome 
Lake  was  yet  sick.  He  had  been  ill  four  years.  He  was  accus- 
tomed to  tell  us  that  he  had  resigned  himself  to  the  will  of  the 
Great  Spirit.  '  I  nightly  returned  my  thanks  to  the  Great 
Spirit/  said  he,  '  as  my  eyes  were  gladdened  at  evening  by  the 
sight  of  the  stars  of  heaven.  I  viewed  the  ornamented  heavens 
at  evening,  through  the  opening  in  the  roof  of  my  lodge,  with 
grateful  feelings  to  my  Creator.  I  had  no  assurance  that  I 
should  at  the  next  evening  contemplate  his  works.  For  this 
reason  my  acknowledgments  to  him  were  more  fervent  and 
sincere.  When  night  was  gone,  and  the  sun  again  shed  his 
light  upon  the  earth,  I  saw  and  acknowledged  in  the  return  of 
day,  his  continued  goodness  to  me  and  to  all  mankind.  At 
length,  I  began  to  have  an  inward  conviction  that  my  end  was 
near.  I  resolved  once  more  to  exchange  friendly  words  with 
my  people,  and  I  sent  my  daughter  to  summon  my  brothers 
Gy-ant-wa-ka  (Cornplanter)  and  Ta-wan-ne-ars  (Blacksnake).' 
She  hastened  to  do  his  bidding,  but  before  she  had  returned 
he  had  fallen  into  insensibility  and  apparent  death.  Ta-wan- 
ne-ars,  upon  returning  to  the  lodge,  hastened  to  his  brother's 


64  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

couch,  and  discovered  that  portions  of  his  body  were  yet  warm. 
This  happened  at  early  day,  before  the  morning  dew  had  dried. 
When  the  sun  had  advanced  half-way  to  the  meridian,  his  heart 
began-  to  beat,  and  he  opened  his  eyes.  Ta-wan-ne-ars  asked 
him  if  he  was  in  his  right  mind ;  but  he  answered  not.  At 
meridian  he  again  opened  his  eyes,  and  the  same  question  was 
repeated.  He  then  answered,  and  said,  '  A  man  spoke  from  with- 
out, and  asked  that  some  one  might  come  forth.  I  looked,  and 
saw  some  men  standing  without.  I  arose,  and,  as  I  attempted 
to  step  over  the  threshold  of  my  door,  I  stumbled  and  should 
have  fallen  had  they  not  caught  me.  They  were  three  holy 
men  who  looked  alike,  and  were  dressed  alike.  The  paint  they 
wore  seemed  but  one  day  old.  Each  held  in  his  hand  a  shrub 
bearing  different  kinds  of  fruit.  One  of  them,  addressing  me, 
said,  "We  have  come  to  comfort  and  relieve  you.  Take  of 
these  berries  and  eat;  they  will  restore  you  to  health.  We 
have  been  witnesses  of  your  lengthened  illness.  We  have 
seen  with  what  resignation  you  have  given  yourself  up  to  the 
Great  Spirit.  We  have  heard  your  daily  return  of  thanks.  He 
has  heard  them  all.  His  ear  has  ever  been  open  to  hear.  You 
were  thankful  for  the  return  of  night,  when  you  could  contem- 
plate the  beauties  of  heaven.  You  were  accustomed  to  look 
upon  the  moon,  as  she  coursed  in  her  hightly  paths.  When 
there  were  no  hopes  to  you  that  you  would  again  behold  these 
things,  you  willingly  resigned  yourself  to  the  mind  of  the  Great 
Spirit.  This  was  right.  Since  the  Great  Spirit  made  the  earth 
and  put  man  upon  it,  we  have  been  his  constant  servants  to 
guard  and  protect  his  works.  There  are  four  of  us.  Some 
other  time  you  will  be  permitted  to  see  the  other.  The  Great 
Spirit  is  pleased  to  know  your  patient  resignation  to  his  will. 
As  a  reward  for  y6ur  devotion,  he  has  cured  your  sickness. 
Tell  your  people  to  assemble  to-morrow,  and  at  noon  go  in  and 
speak  to  them."  '  After  they  had  further  revealed  their  inten- 
tions concerning  him,  they  departed. 

"At  the  time  appointed  Handsome  Lake  appeared  at  the 
council,  and  thus  addressed  the  people  upon  the  revelations 
which  had  been  made  to  him  :  '  I  have  a  message  to  deliver  to 
you.  The  servants  of  the  Great  Spirit  have  told  me  that  I 
should  yet  live  upon  the  earth  to  become  an  instructor  to  my 


PRIMITIVE  RED   MEN.  65 

people.  Since  the  creation  of  man,  the  Great  Spirit  has  often 
raised  up  men  to  teach  his  children  what  they  should  do  to 
please  him  ;  but  they  have  been  unfaithful  to  their  trust.  I 
hope  I  shall  profit  by  their  example.  Your  Creator  has  seen 
that  you  have  transgressed  greatly  against  his  laws.  He  made 
man  pure  and  good.  He  did  not  intend  that  he  should  sin. 
You  commit  a  great  sin  in  taking  the  fire-water.  The  Great 
Spirit  says  that  you  must  abandon  this  enticing  habit.  Your 
ancestors  have  brought  great  misery  and  suffering  upon  you. 
They  first  took  the  fire-water  of  the  white*man,  and  entailed 
upon  you  its  consequences.  None  of  them  have  gone  to  heaven. 
The  fire-water  does  not  belong  to  you.  It  was  made  for  the 
white  man  beyond  the  great  waters.  For  the  white  man  it  is  a 
medicine ;  but  they,  too,  have  violated  the  will  of  their  Maker. 
The  Great  Spirit  says  that  drunkenness  is  a  great  crime,  and 
he  forbids  you  to  indulge  in  this  evil  habit.  His  command  is 
to  the  old  and  young.  The  abandonment  of  its  use  will  relieve 
much  of  your  sufferings,  and  greatly  increase  the  comfort  and 
happiness  of  your  children.  The  Great  Spirit  is  grieved  that 
so  much  crime  and  wickedness  should  defile  the  earth.  There 
are  many  evils  which  he  never  intended  should  exist  among  his 
red  children.  The  Great  Spirit  has,  for  many  wise  reasons, 
withheld  from  man  the  number  of  his  days ;  but  he  has  not  left 
him  without  a  guide,  for  he  has  pointed  out  to  him  the  path  in 
which  he  may  safely  tread  the  journey  of  life. 

" '  When  the  Great  Spirit  made  man  he  also  made  woman. 
He  instituted  marriage,  and  enjoined  upon  them  to  love  each 
other  and  be  faithful.  It  is  pleasing  to  him  to  see  men  and 
women  obey  his  will.  Your  Creator  abhors  a  deceiver  and  a1 
hypocrite.  By  obeying  his  commands  you  will  die  an  easy  and 
a  happy  death.  When  the  Great  Spirit  instituted  marriage,  he 
ordained  to  bless  those  who  were  faithful  with  children.  Some 
women  are  unfruitful,  and  others  become  so  by  misfortune. 
Such  have  great  opportunities  to  do  much  good.  There  are 
many  orphans,  and  many  poor  children  whom  they  can  adopt 
as  their  own.  If  you  tie  up  the  clothes  of  an  orphan  child,  the 
Great  Spirit  will  notice  it,  and  reward  you  for  it.  Should  an, 
orphan  ever  cross  your  path,  be  kind  to  him,  and  treat  him  with 
tenderness,  for  this  is  right.  Parents  must  constantly  teach 


66  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

their  children  morality,  and  a  reverence  for  their  Creator. 
Parents  must  also  guard  their  children  against  improper  mar- 
riages. They,  having  much  experience,  should  select  a  suitable 
match  for  their  child.  When  the  parents  of  both  parties  have 
agreed,  then  bring  the  young  pair  together,  and  let  them  know 
what  good  their  parents  have  designed  for  them.  If,  at  any 
time,  they  so  far  disagree  that  they  cannot  possibly  live  con- 
tented and  happy  with  each  other,  they  may  separate  in  mutual 
good  feeling ;  and  in  this  there  is  no  wrong.  When  a  child  is 
born  to  a  husband  and  wife,  they  must  give  great  thanks  to  the 
Great  Spirit,  for  it  is  his  gift,  and  an  evidence  of  his  kindness. 
Let  parents  instruct  their  children  in  their  duty  to  the  Great 
Spirit,  to  their  parents,  and  to  their  fellowmen.  Children 
should  obey  their  parents  and  guardians,  and  submit  to  them 
in  all  things.  Disobedient  children  occasion  great  pain  and 
misery.  They  wound  their  parents' 'feelings,  and  often  drive 
them  to  desperation,  causing  them  great  distress,  and  final 
admission  into  the  place  of  Evil  Spirits.  The  marriage  obliga- 
tions should  generate  good  to  all  who  have  assumed  them.  Let 
the  married  be  faithful  to  each  other,  that  when  they  die  it  may 
be  in  peace.  Children  should  never  permit  their  parents  to 
suffer  in  their  old  age.  Be  kind  to  them  and  support  them. 
The  Great  Spirit  requires  all  children  to  love,  revere,  and  obey 
their  parents.  To  do  this  is  highly  pleasing  to  him.  The  hap- 
piness of  parents  is  greatly  increased  by  the  affection  and  the 
attentions  of  their  children.  To  abandon  a  wife,  or  children,  is 
a  great  wrong,  and  produces  many  evils.  It  is  wrong  for  a 
father-  or  mother-in-law  to  vex  a  son-  or  daughter-in-law ;  but 
they  should  use  them  as  if  they  were  their  own  children.  It 
often  happens  that  parents  hold  angry  disputes  over  their  infant 
child.  This  is  also  a  great  sin.  The  infant  hears  and  compre- 
hends the  angry  words  of  its  parents.  It  feels  bad  and  lonely. 
It  can  see  for  itself  no  happiness  in  prospect.  It  concludes  to 
return  to  its  Maker.  It  wants  a  happy  home  and  dies.  The 
parents  then  weep  because  their  child  has  left  them.  You  must 
put  this  evil  practice  from  among  you,  if  you  would  live  happy. 
"'The  Great  Spirit,  when  he  made  the  earth,  never  intended 
that  it  should  be  made  merchandise  ;  but  he  willed  that  all  his 
creatures  should  enjoy  it  equally.  Your  chiefs  have  violated 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  67 

and  betrayed  your  trust  by  selling  lands.  Nothing  is  now, left 
of  our  once  large  possessions,  save  a  few  small  reservations. 
Chiefs,  and  aged  men,  you,  as  men,  have  no  land  to  sell.  You 
occupy  and  possess  a  tract  in  trust  for  your  children.  You 
should  hold  that  trust  sacred,  lest  your  children  are  driven  from 
their  homes  by  your  unsafe  conduct.  Whoever  sells  lands 
offends  the  Great  Spirit,  and  must  expect  a  great  punishment 
after  death.' ' 

Sose-ha-wa  here  suspended  the  narration  of  the  discourse  of 
Handsome  Lake,  and  thus  addressed  the  council:  — 

"  Chiefs,  Keepers  of  the  Faith,  warriors,  women,  and  children  : 
You  all  know  that  our  religion  teaches  that  the  early  day  is 
dedicated  to  the  Great  Spirit,  and  that  the  late  day  is  granted 
to  the  spirits  of  the  dead.  It  is  now  meridian,  and  I  must  close. 
Preserve  in  your  minds  that  which  has  been  said.  Accept  my 
thanks  for  your  kind  and  patient  attention.  It  is  meet  that  I 
should  also  return  my  thanks  to  the  Great  Spirit,  that  he  has 
assisted  me  thus  far  in  my  feeble  frame  to  instruct  you.  We 
ask  you  all  to  come  up  again  to-morrow,  at  early  day,  to  hear 
what  further  may  be  said.  I  have  done." 

The  next  morning,  after  the  council  had  been  opened  in  the 
usual  manner,  Sose-ha-wa  thus  continued  :  — 

"  Relatives,  uncover  now  your  heads,  and  listen.  The  day 
has  thus  far  advanced,  and  again  we  are  gathered  around  the 
council  fire.  I  see  around  me  the  several  nations  of  the  Long 
House ;  this  gives  me  great  joy.  I  see  also  seated  around  me 
my  counsellors  (Keepers  of  the  Faith),  who  have  been  regularly 
appointed,  as  is  the  custom  of  our  religion.  Greetings  have 
been  exchanged  with  each  other.  Thanks  have  been  returned 
to  Ga-ni-o-di-yo.  Thanks  also  have  been  returned  to  our  Crea- 
tor by  the  council  now  assembled.  At  this  moment  the  Great 
Spirit  is  looking  upon  this  assembly.  He  hears  our  words,  he 
knows  our  thoughts,  and  is  always  pleased  to  see  us  gathered 
together  for  good.  The  sun  is  now  high,  and  soon  it  will  reach 
the  middle  heavens.  I  must  therefore  make  haste.  Listen 
attentively  and  consider  well  what  you  shall  hear.  I  return 
thanks  to  our  Creator,  that  he  has  spared  your  lives  through 
the  dangers  of  darkness.  I  salute  and  return  my  thanks  to  the 
four  Celestial  beings,  who  have  communicated  what  I  am  about 


68  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

to  say  to  you.  I  return  thanks  to  my  grandfather  (Handsome 
Lake),  from  whom  you  first  heard  what  I  am  about  to  speak. 
We  all  feel  his  loss.  We  miss  him  at  our  councils.  I  now 
occupy  his  place  before  you,  but  I  am  conscious  that  I  have  not 
the  power  which  he  possessed. 

"  Counsellors,  warriors,  mothers,  and  children :  Listen  to 
good  instruction.  Consider  it  well.  Lay  it  up  in  your  minds, 
and  forget  it  not.  Our  Creator,  when  he  made  us,  designed  that 
we  should  live  by  hunting.  It  sometimes  happens  that  a  man 
goes  out  for  the  hunt,  leaving  his  wife  with  her  friends.  After 
a  long  absence,  he  returns,  and  finds  that  his  wife  has  taken 
another  husband.  The  Great  Spirit  says  that  this  is  a  great 
sin,  and  must  be  put  from  among  us. 

"  The  four  Messengers  further  said  that  it  was  wrong  for  a 
mother  to  punish  a  child  with  a  rod.  It  is  not  right  to  punish 
much,  and  our  Creator  never  intended  that  children  should  be 
punished  with  a  whip,  or  be  used  with  any  violence.  In  punish- 
ing a  refractory  child,  water  only  is  necessary,  and  it  is  suffi- 
cient. Plunge  them  under.  This  is  not  wrong.  Whenever  a 
child  promises  to  do  better,  the  punishment  must  cease.  It  is 
wrong  to  continue  it  after  promises  of  amendment  are  made. 
Thus  they  said. 

"  It  is  right  and  proper  always  to  look  upon  the  dead.  Let 
your  face  be  brought  near  to  theirs,  and  then  address  them. 
Let  the  dead  know  that  their  absence  is  regretted  by  their 
friends,  and  that  they  grieve  for  their  death.  Let  the  dead 
know,  too,  how  their  surviving  friends  intend  to  live.  Let  them 
know  whether  they  will  so  conduct  themselves,  that  they  will 
meet  them  again  in  the  future  world.  The  dead  will  hear  and 
remember.  Thus  they  said. 

"  Continue  to  listen  while  I  proceed  to  relate  what  further 
they  said  :  Our  Creator  made  the  earth.  Upon  it  he  placed 
man,  and  gave  him  certain  rules  of  conduct.  It  pleased  him 
also  to  give  them  many  kinds  of  amusements.  He  also  ordered 
that  the  earth  should  produce  all  that  is  good  for  man.  So  long 
as  the  earth  remains,  it  will  not  cease  to  yield.  Upon  the  sur- 
face of  the  ground  berries  of  various  kinds  are  produced.  It 
is  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit,  that  when  they  ripen,  we  should 
return  our  thanks  to  him,  and  have  a  public  rejoicing  for  the 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  69 

continuance  of  these  blessings.  He  made  everything  which  we 
live  upon,  and  requires  us  to  be  thankful  at  all  times  for  the  con- 
tinuance of  his  favors.  When  Our  Life  (Corn,  etc.)  has  again 
appeared,  it  is  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit  that  we  assemble 
for  a  general  thanksgiving.  It  is  his  will  also  that  the  children 
be  brought  and  made  to  participate  in  the  Feather  dance. 
Your  feast  must  consist  of  the  new  production.  It  is  proper 
at  these  times,  should  any  present  not  have  their  names  pub- 
lished, or  if  any  changes  have  been  made,  to-announce  them 
then.  The  festival  must  continue  four  days.  Thus  they  said. 
Upon  the  first  day  must  be  performed  the  Feather  dance. 
This  ceremony  must  take  place  in  the  early  day,  and  cease  at 
the  middle  day.  In  the  same  manner,  upon  the  second  day, 
is  to  be  performed  the  Thanksgiving  dance.  On  the  third  day, 
the  Thanksgiving  concert,  Ah-do-weh,  is  to  be  introduced.  The 
fourth  day  is  set  apart  for  the  Peachstone  game.  All  these 
ceremonies,  instituted  by  our  Creator,  must  be  commenced  at 
the  early  day,  and  cease  at  the  middle  day.  At  all  these  times 
we  are  required  to  return  thanks  to  our  Grandfather,  He-no, 
and  his  assistants.  To  them  is  assigned  the  duty  of  watching 
over  the  earth,  and  all  it  produces  for  our  good.  The  great 
Feather  and  Thanksgiving  dances  are  the  appropriate  cere- 
monies and  thanksgiving  to  the  Ruler  and  Maker  of  all  things. 
The  Thanksgiving  concert  belongs  appropriately  to  our  grand- 
fathers. In  it  we  return  thanks  to  them.  During  the  perform- 
ance of  this  ceremony,  we  are  required  also  to  give  them  the 
smoke  of  tobacco.  Again  we  must  at  this  time  return  thanks 
to  our  mother  the  earth,  for  she  is  our  relative.  We  must  also 
return  thanks  to  Our  Life  and  its  Sisters.  All  these  things  are 
required  to  be  done  by  the  light  of  the  sun.  It  must  not  be 
protracted  until  the  sun  has  hid  its  face,  and  darkness  surrounds 
all  things. 

"  Continue  to  listen  :  We  have  a  change  of  seasons.  We 
have  a  season  of  cold.  This  is  the  hunting  season.  It  is  also 
one  in  which  the  people  can  amuse  themselves.  Upon  the  fifth 
day  of  the  new  moon,  Nis-go-wuk-na  (about  February  ist),  we 
are  required  to  commence  the  annual  jubilee  of  thanksgiving 
to  our  Creator.  At  this  festival  all  can  give  evidence  of  their 
devotion  to  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit  by  participating  in  all 
its  ceremonies. 


70  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

"Continue  to  listen:  The  four  Messengers  of  the  Great 
Spirit  have  always  watched  over  us,  and  have  ever  seen  what 
was  transpiring  among  men.  At  one  time  Handsome  Lake 
was  translated  by  them  to  the  regions  above.  He  looked  down 
upon  the  earth,  and  saw  a  great  assembly.  Out  of  it  came 
a  man.  His  garments  were  torn,  tattered,  and  filthy.  His 
whole  appearance  indicated  great  misery  and  poverty.  They 
asked  him  how  this  spectacle  appeared  to  him.  He  replied 
that  it  was  hard  to  look  upon.  They  then  told  him  that  the 
man  he  saw  was  a  drunkard  ;  that  he  had  taken  the  fire-water, 
and  it  had  reduced  him  to  poverty.  Again  he  looked  and  saw 
a  woman  seated  upon  the  ground.  She  was  constantly  engaged 
in  gathering  up  and  secreting  about  her  person  her  worldly 
effects.  They  said,  the  woman  you  see  is  inhospitable.  She 
is  too  selfish  to  spare  anything,  and  will  never  leave  her  worldly 
goods.  She  can  never  pass  from  earth  to  heaven.  Tell  this  to 
your  people.  Again  he  looked,  and  saw  a  man  carrying  in  each 
hand  large  pieces  of  meat.  He  went  about  the  assembly,  giving 
to  each  a  piece.  This  man,  they  said,  is  blessed,  for  he  is  hos- 
pitable and  kind.  He  looked  again,  and  saw  streams  of  blood. 
They  said,  thus  will  the  earth  be  if  the  fire-water  is  not  put 
from  among  you.  Brother  will  kill  brother,  and  friend,  friend. 
Again  they  told  him  to  look  towards  the  east.  He  obeyed,  and, 
as  far  as  his  vision  reached,  he  saw  the  increasing  smoke  of 
numberless  distilleries  arising  and  shutting  out  the  light  of  the 
sun.  It  was  a  horrible  spectacle  to  witness.  They  told  him 
that  here  was  manufactured  the  fire-water.  Again  he  looked 
and  saw  a  costly  house  made  and  furnished  by  the  palefaces. 
It  was  a  house  of  confinement,  where  were  fetters,  ropes,  and 
whips.  They  said  that  those  who  persisted  in  the  use  of  the 
fire-water  would  fall  into  this.  Our  Creator  commands  us  to 
put  this  destructive  vice  far  from  us.  Again  he  looked  and 
saw  various  assemblages.  Some  of  them  were  unwilling  to 
listen  to  instruction.  They  were  riotous,  and  took  great  pride 
in  drinking  the  strong  waters.  He  observed  another  group  who 
were  half  inclined  to  hear,  but  the  temptations  to  vice  which 
surrounded  them  allured -them  back,  and  they  also  revelled  in 
the  fumes  of  the  fire-water.  He  saw  another  assemblage  which 
had  met  to  hear  instructions.  This  they  said  was  pleasing  to 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  *j\ 

the  Great  Spirit.  He  loves  those  who  will  listen  and  obey.  It 
has  grieved  him  that  his  children  are  now  divided  by  separate 
interests,  and  are  pursuing  so  many  paths.  It  pleases  him  to 
see  his  people  live  together  in  harmony  and  quiet.  The  fire- 
water creates  many  dissensions  and  divisions  among  us.  They 
said  that  the  use  of  it  would  cause  many  to  die  unnatural  deaths  ; 
many  would  be  exposed  to  cold  and  freeze  ;  many  would  be 
burned,  and  others  will  be  drowned,  while  under  the  influence 
of  the  fire-water. 

"  Friends  and  relatives  :  All  these  things  have  often  hap- 
pened. How  many  of  our  people  have  been  frozen  to  death, 
how  many  have  been  burned  to  death,  how  many  have  been 
drowned  while  under  the  influence  of  the  strong  waters.  The 
punishments  of  those  who  use  the  fire-water  commence  while 
they  are  yet  on  the  earth.  Many  are  now  thrown  into  houses 
of  confinement  by  the  palefaces.  I  repeat  to  you,  the  Ruler  of 
us  all  requires  us  to  unite  and  put  this  evil  from  among  us. 
Some  say  that  the  use  of  the  fire-water  is  not  wrong,  and  that  it 
is  food.  Let  those  who  do  not  believe  it  wrong,  make  this  ex- 
periment. Let  all  who  use  the  fire-water  assemble  and  organize 
into  a  council,  and  those  who  do  not  into  another  near  them.  A 
great  difference  will  then  be  discovered.  The  council  of  drunk- 
ards will  end  in  a  riot  and  tumult,  while  the  other  will  have 
harmony  and  quiet.  It  is  hard  to  think  of  the  great  prevalence 
of  this  evil  among  us.  Reform,  and  put  it  from  among  you. 
Many  resolve  to  use  the  fire-water  until  near  death,  when  they 
will  repent.  If  they  do  this,  nothing  can  save  them  from 
destruction,  for  then  medicine  can  have  no  power.  Thus  they 
said. 

"  All  men  were  made  equal  by  the  Great  Spirit ;  but  he  has 
given  to  them  a  variety  of  gifts.  To  some  a  pretty  face,  to 
others  an  ugly  one ;  to  some  a  comely  form,  to  others  a  deformed 
figure.  Some  are  fortunate  in  collecting  around  them  worldly 
goods.  But  you  are  all  entitled  to  the  same  privileges,  and 
therefore  must  put  pride  from  among  you.  You  are  not  your 
own  makers,  nor  the  builders  of  your  own  fortunes.  All  things 
are  the  gift  of  the  Great  Spirit,  and  to  him  must  be  returned 
thanks  for  their  bestowal.  He  alone  must  be  acknowledged  as 
the  giver.  It  has  pleased  him  to  make  differences  among  men, 


72  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

but  it  is  wrong  for  one  man  to  exalt  himself  above  another. 
Love  each  other,  for  you  are  all  brothers  and  sisters  of  the  same 
great  family.  The  Great  Spirit  enjoins  upon  all  to  observe  hos- 
pitality and  kindness,  especially  to  the  needy  and  the  helpless, 
for  this  is  pleasing  to  him.  If  a  stranger  wanders  about  your 
abode,  speak  to  him  with  kind  words,  be  hospitable  towards  him, 
welcome  him  to  your  home,  and  forget  not  always  to  mention 
the  Great  Spirit.  In  the  morning,  give  thanks  to  the  Great 
Spirit  for  the  return  of  day,  and  the  light  of  the  sun  ;  at  night, 
renew  your  thanks  to  him,  that  his  ruling  power  has  preserved 
you  from  harm  during  the  day,  and  that  night  has  again  come, 
in  which  you  may  rest  your  weary  bodies. 

"  The  four  Messengers  said  further  to  Handsome  Lake : 
'  Tell  your  people,  and  particularly  the  Keepers  of  the  Faith,  to 
be  strong-minded  and  to  adhere  to  the  true  faith.  We  fear  the 
Evil-minded  will  go  among  them  with  temptations.  He  may 
introduce  the  fiddle.  He  may  bring  cards  and  leave  them  among 
you.  The  use  of  these  are  great  sins.  Let  the  people  be  on 
their  guard,  and  the  keepers  of  the  watch  be  faithful  and  vigilant, 
that  none  of  the  evil's  may  find  their  way  among  the  people. 
Let  the  Keepers  of  the  Faith  preserve  the  law  of  moral  conduct 
in  all  its  purity.  When  meetings  are  to  be  held  for  instruction, 
and  the  people  are  preparing  to  go,  the  Evil-minded  is  then 
busy.  He  goes  from  one  to  another,  whispering  many  tempta- 
tions by  which  to  keep  them  away.  He  will  even  follow  persons 
into  the  door  of  the  council  and  induce  some,  at  that  time,  to 
bend  their  steps  away.  Many  resist  until  they  have  entered, 
and  then  leave  it.  This  habit,  once  indulged,  obtains  a  fast 
hold,  and  the  evil  propensity  increases  with  age.  This  is  a  great 
sin,  and  should  be  at  once  abandoned.'  Thus  they  said. 

"  Speak  evil  of  no  one.  If  you  can  say  no  good  of  a  person, 
then  be  silent.  Let  not  your  tongues  betray  you  into  evil.  Let 
all  be  mindful  of  this  ;  for  these  are  the  words  of  our  Creator. 

"  Let  all  strive  to  cultivate  friendship  with  those  who  surround 
them.  This  is  pleasing  to  the  Great  Spirit. 

"  Counsellors,  warriors,  women,  and  children :  I  shall  now 
rest.  I  thank  you  all  for  your  kind  and  patient  attention.  I 
thank  the  Great  Spirit  that  he  has  spared  the  lives  of  so  many  of 
us  to  witness  this  day.  I  request  you  all  to  come  up  again  to- 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  7-? 

/    \J 

. morrow  at  early  day.  Let  us  all  hope  that,  until  we  meet  again, 
the  Creator  and  Ruler  of  us  all  may  be  kind  to  us  and  preserve 
our  lives.  Na-ho." 

The  council,  on  the  following  day,  was  opened  with  a  few 
short  speeches  from  some  of  the  chiefs,  or  Keepers  of  the  Faith, 
returning  thanks  for  the  privileges  of  the  occasion,  as  usual  at 
councils ;  after  which  Sose-ha-wa,  resuming  his  discourse,  spoke 
as  follows  :  — 

"  Friends  and  relatives,  uncover  now  your  heads  :  Continue 
to  listen  to  my  rehearsal  of  the  sayings  communicated  to  Hand- 
some Lake  by  the  four  Messengers  of  the  Great  Spirit.  We 
have  met  again  around  the  council-fire.  We  have  followed  the 
ancient  custom  and  greeted  each  other.  This  is  right  and  highly 
pleasing  to  our  Maker.  He  now  looks  down  upon  this  assembly. 
He  sees  us  all.  He  is  informed  of  the  cause  of  our  gathering, 
and  it  is  pleasing  to  him.  Life  is  uncertain.  While  we  live  let 
us  love  each  other.  Let  us  sympathize  always  with  the  suffer- 
ing and  needy.  Let  us  also  always  rejoice  with  those  who  are 
glad.  This  is  now  the  third  day,  and  my  time  for  speaking  to 
you  is  drawing  to  a  close.  It  will  be  a  long  time  before  we  meet 
again.  Many  moons  and  seasons  will  have  passed  before  the 
sacred  council-brand  shall  be  again  uncovered.  Be  watchful, 
therefore,  and  remember  faithfully  what  you  may  now  hear. 

"  In  discoursing  yesterday  upon  the  duties  of  the  Keepers  of 
the  Faith,  I  omitted  some  things  important.  The  Great  Spirit 
created  this  office.  He  designed  that  its  duties  should  never 
end.  There  are  some  who  are  selected,  and  set  apart  by  our 
Maker,  to  perform  the  duties  of  this  office.  It  is,  therefore,  their 
duty  to  be  faithful,  arid  to  be  always  watching.  These  duties 
they  must  ever  perform  during  their  lives.  The  faithful,  when 
they  leave  this  earth,  will  have  a  pleasant  path  to  travel  in. 
The  same  office  exists  in  heaven,  the  home  of  our  Creator.  They 
will  take  the  same  place  when  they  arrive  there.  There  are 
dreadful  penalties  awaiting  those  Keepers  of  the  Faith  who 
resign  their  office  without  a  cause.  Thus  they  said. 

"  It  was  the  original  intention  of  our  Maker  that  all  our  feast  of 
thanksgiving  should  be  seasoned  with  the  flesh  of  wild  animals  ; 
but  we  are  surrounded  by  the  palefaces,  and,  in  a  short  time,  the 
woods  will  be  all  removed.  Then  there  will  be  no  more  game 


74  IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  RED  MEN. 

for  the  Indian  to  use  in  his  feasts.  The  four  Messengers  said, 
in  consequence  of  this,  that  we  might  use  the  flesh  of  domestic 
animals.  This  will  not  be  wrong.  The  palefaces  are  pressing 
you  upon  every  side.  You  must  therefore  live  as  they  do. 
How  far  you  can  do  so  without  sin,  I  will  now  tell  you.  You 
may  grow  cattle  and  build  yourselves  warm  and  comfortable 
dwelling-houses.  This  is  not  sin  ;  and  it  is  all  that  you  can 
safely  adopt  of  the  customs  of  the  palefaces.  You  cannot  live 
as  they  do.  Thus  they  said. 

"  Continue  to  listen  :  It  has  pleased  our  Creator  to  set  apart, 
as  our  Life,  the  Three  Sisters.  For  this  special  favor  let  us 
ever  be  thankful.  When  you  have  gathered  in  your  harvest, 
let  the  people  assemble  and  hold  a  general  thanksgiving  for  so 
great  a  good.  In  this  way  you  will  show  your  obedience  to  the 
will  and  pleasure  of  your  Creator.  Thus  they  said. 

"  Many  of  you  may  be  ignorant  of  the  Spirit  of  Medicine.  It 
watches  over  all  constantly,  and  assists  the  needy  whenever 
necessity  requires.  The  Great  Spirit  designed  that  some  men 
should  possess  the  gift  of  skill  in  medicine.  But  he  is  pained 
to  see  a  medicine  man  making  exorbitant  charges  for  attending 
the  sick.  Our  Creator  made  for  us  tobacco.  This  plant  must 
always  be  used  in  administering  medicines.  When  a  sick  per- 
son recovers  his  health,  he  must  return  thanks  to  the  Great 
Spirit  by  means  of  tobacco ;  for  it  is  by  his  goodness  that  he  is 
made  well.  He  blesses  the  medicine ;  and  the  medicine  man 
must  receive  as  his  reward  whatever  the  gratitude  of  the  re- 
stored may  tender.  This  is  right  and  proper.  There  are  many 
who  are  unfortunate  and  cannot  pay  for  attendance.  It  is  suffi- 
cient for  us  to  return  thanks  to  the  medicine  man  upon  recovery. 
The  remembrance  that  he  has  saved  the  life  of  a  relative  will 
be  a  sufficient  reward. 

"  Listen  further  to  what  the  Great  Spirit  has  been  pleased  to 
communicate  to  us :  He  has  made  us,  as  a  race,  separate  and 
distinct  from  the  paleface.  It  is  a  great  sin  to  intermarry  and 
intermingle  the  blood  of  two  races.  Let  none  be  guilty  of  this 
transgression. 

"At  one  time  the  four  Messengers  said  to  Handsome  Lake, 
lest  the  people  should  disbelieve  you,  and  not  repent  and  for- 
sake their  evil  ways,  we  will  now  disclose  to  you  the  House  of 


AN    IROQUOIS   WOMAN. 


PRIMITIVE   RED  MEN. 


75 


Torment,  the  dwelling-place  of  the  Evil-minded.  Handsome 
Lake  was  particular  in  describing  to  us  all  that  he  witnessed, 
and  the  course  which  departed  spirits  were  accustomed  to  take 
on  leaving  the  earth.  There  was  a  road  which  led  upwards. 
At  a  certain  point  it  branched ;  one  branch  led  straight  forward 
to  the  Home  of  the  Great  Spirit,  and  the  other  turned  aside  to 
the  House  of  Torment.  At  the  place  where  the  roads  separated 
were  stationed  two  keepers,  one  representing  the^Good,  and  the 
other  the  Evil  Spirit.  When  a  person  reached  the  fork,  if 
wicked,  by  a  motion  from  the  Evil  keeper,  he  turned  instinctively 
upon  the  road  which  led  to  the  abode  of  the  Evil-minded.  But 
if  virtuous  and  good,  the  other  keeper  directed  him  upon  the 
straight  road.  The  latter  was  not  much  travelled,  while  the 
former  was  so  frequently  trodden  that  no  grass  could  grow  in 
the  pathway.  It  sometimes  happened  that  the  keepers  had 
great  difficulty  in  deciding  which  path  the  person  should  take, 
when  the  good  and  bad  actions  of  the  individual  were  nearly 
balanced.  Those  sent  to  the  House  of  Torment,  sometimes 
remained  one  day  (which  is  there  one  of  our  years)  ;  some  for 
a  longer  period.  After  they  have  atoned  for  their  sins,  they  pass 
to  heaven.  But  when  they  have  committed  either  of  the  great 
sins  (witchcraft,  murder,  and  infanticide),  they  never  pass  to 
heaven,  but  are  tormented  forever.  Having  conducted  Hand- 
some Lake  to  this  place,  he  saw  a  large  and  dark-colored 
mansion  covered  with  soot,  and  beside  it  stood  a  lesser  one. 
One  of  the  four  then  held  out  his  rod,  and  the  top  of  the  house 
moved  up,  until  they  could  look  down  upon  all  that  was  within. 
He  saw  many  rooms.  The  first  object  which  met  his  eye  was  a 
haggard-looking  man,  his  sunken  eyes  cast  upon  the  ground, 
and  his  form  half  consumed  by  the  torments  he  had  undergone. 
This  man  was  a  drunkard.  The  Evil-minded  then  appeared, 
and  called  him  by  name.  As  the  man  obeyed  his  call,  he  dipped 
from  a  caldron  a  quantity  of  red-hot  liquid  and  commanded  him 
to  drink  it,  as  it  was  an  article  he  loved.  The  man  did  as  he 
was  directed,  and  immediately  from  his  mouth  issued  a  stream 
of  blaze.  He  cried  in  vain  for  help.  The  Tormenter  then 
requested  him  to  sing  and  make  himself  merry,  as  was  his  wont 
while  on  earth  after  drinking  the  fire-water.  Let  drunkards 
take  warning  from  this.  Others  were  then  summoned.  There 


76  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

came  before  him  two  persons  who  appeared  to  be  husband  and 
wife.  He  told  them  to  exercise  the  privilege  they  were  so  fond 
of  while  on  the  earth.  They  immediately  commenced  a  quarrel  of 
words.  They  raged  at  each  other  with  such  violence  that  their 
tongues  and  eyes  ran  out  so  far  they  could  neither  see  nor  speak. 
This,  said  they,  is  the  punishment  of  quarrelsome  and  disputing 
husbands  and  wives.  Let  such  also  take  warning  and  live 
together  in  peace  and  harmony.  Next  he  called  up  a  woman 
who  had  been  a  witch.  First  he  plunged  her  into  a  caldron  of 
boiling  liquid.  In  her  cries  of  distress  she  begged  the  Evil- 
minded  to  give  her  some  cooler  place.  He  then  immersed  her 
in  one  containing  liquid  at  the  point  of  freezing.  Her  cries  then 
were  that  she  was  too  cold.  This  woman,  said  the  four  Mes- 
sengers, shall  always  be  tormented  in  this  manner.  He  pro- 
ceeded to  mention  the  punishment  which  awaits  all  those  who 
cruelly  ill-treat  their  wives.  The  Evil-minded  next  called  up  a 
man  who  had  been  accustomed  to  beat  his  wife.  Having  led 
him  up  to  the  red-hot  statue  of  a  female,  he  directed  him  to  do 
that  which  he  was  fond  of  while  he  was  upon  the  earth.  He 
obeyed  and  struck  the  figure.  The  sparks  flew  in  every  direc- 
tion, and  by  the  contact  his  arm  was  consumed.  Such  is  the 
punishment,  they  said,  awaiting  those  who  ill-treat  their  wives. 
From  this  take  seasonable  warning.  He  looked  again  and  saw 
a  woman  whose  arms  and  hands  were  nothing  but  bones.  She 
had  sold  fire-water  to  the  Indians,  and  the  flesh  was  eaten  from 
her  hands  and  arms.  This,  they  said,  would  be  the  fate  of  rum- 
sellers.  Again  he  looked  and  in  one  apartment  he  saw  and 
recognized  Ho-ne-ya-wus  (Farmer's  Brother),  his  former  friend. 
He  was  engaged  in  removing  a  heap  of  sand,  grain  by  grain,  and 
although  he  labored  continually,  yet  the  heap  of  sand  was  not 
diminished.  This,  they  said,  was  the  punishment  of  those  who 
sold  land.  Adjacent  to  the  house  of  torment  was  a  field  of  corn 
filled  with  weeds.  ,He  saw  women  in  the  act  of  cutting  them 
down,  but  as  fast  as  this  was  done  they  grew  up  again.  This, 
they  said,  was  the  punishment  of  lazy  women.  It  would  be 
proper  and  right,  had  we  time,  to  tell  more  of  this  place  of  tor- 
ment. But  my  time  is  limited  and  I  must  pass  to  other  things. 
"The  Creator  made  men  dependent  upon  each  other.  He 
made  them  social  beings ;  therefore,  when  your  neighbor  visits 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  77 

you,  set  food  before  him.     If  it  be  your  next  door  neighbor, 
you  must  give  him  to  eat.     He  will  partake  and  thank  you. 

"  Again  they  said  :  You  must  not  steal.  Should  you  want 
for  anything  necessary,  you  have  only  to  tell  your  wants  and 
they  will  be  supplied.  This  is  right.  Let  none  ever  steal  any- 
thing. Children  are  often  tempted  to  take  things  home  which 
do  not  belong  to  them.  Let  parents  instruct  children  in  this  rule. 

"  Many  of  our  people  live  to  a  very  old  age.  ,your  Creator 
says  that  your  deportment  towards  them  must  be  that  of  rever- 
ence and  affection.  They  have  seen  and  felt  much  of  the 
misery  and  pain  of  earth.  Be  always  kind  to  them  when  old 
and  helpless.  Wash  their  hands  and  face,  and  nurse  them  with 
care.  This  is  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit. 

"  It  has  been  the  custom  among  us  to  mourn  for  the  dead 
one  year.  This  custom  is  wrong.  As  it  causes  the  death  of 
many  children,  it  must  be  abandoned.  Ten  days  mourn  for  the 
dead  and  not  longer.  When  one  dies,  it  is  right  and  proper  to 
make  an  address  over  the  body,  telling  how  much  you  loved 
the  deceased.  Great  respect  for  the  dead  must  be  observed 
among  us. 

"At  another  time  the  four  Messengers  said  to  Handsome 
Lake,  they  would  now  show  him  the  '  Destroyer  of  Villages  ' ' 
(Washington),  "  of  whom  you  have  so  frequently  heard.  Upon 
the  road  leading  to  heaven  he  could  see  a  light,  far  away  in  the 
distance,  moving  to  and  fro.  Its  brightness  far  exceeded  the 
brilliancy  of  the  noonday  sun.  They  told  him  the  journey  was 
as  follows  :  First,  they  came  to  a  cold  spring,  which  was  a  rest: 
ing  place.  From  this  point  they  proceeded  into  pleasant  fairy 
grounds,  which  spread  away  in  every  direction.  Soon  they 
reached  heaven.  The  light  was  dazzling.  Berries  of  every 
description  grew  in  vast  abundance.  Their  size  and  quality 
was  such  that  a  single  berry  was  more  than  sufficient  to  appease 
the  appetite.  A  sweet  fragrance  perfumed  the  air.  Fruits  of 
every  kind  met  the  eye.  The  inmates  of  this  celestial  abode 
spent  their  time  in  amusement  and  repose.  No  evil  could  enter 
there.  None  in  heaven  ever  transgressed  again.  Families  were 
reunited  and  dwelt  together  in  harmony.  They  possessed  a 
bodily  form,  the  senses,  and  the  remembrances  of  the  earthly 
life.  But  no  white  man  ever  entered  heaven.  Thus  they  said. 


78  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

He  looked  and  saw  an  inclosure  upon  a  plain,  just  without  the 
entrance  of  heaven.  Within  it  was  a  fort.  Here  he  saw  the 
'  Destroyer  of  Villages/  walking  to  and  fro  within  the  inclosure. 
His  countenance  indicated  a  great  and  a  good  man.  They  said 
to  Handsome  Lake :  '  The  man  you  see  is  the  only  paleface 
who  ever  left  the  earth.  He  was  kind  to  you,  when,  on  the 
settlement  of  the  great  difficulty  between  the  Americans  and 
the  Great  Crown  (Go-wek-go-wa),  you  were  abandoned  to  the 
mercy  of  your  enemies.  The  Crown  told  the  great  American, 
that  as  for  his  allies  the  Indians,  he  might  kill  them  if  he  liked. 
The  great  American  judged  that  this  would  be  cruel  and  un- 
just. He  believed  they  were  made  by  the  Great  Spirit  and 
were  entitled  to  the  enjoyment  of  life.  He  was  kind  to  you, 
and  extended  over  you  his  protection.  For  this  reason,  he  has 
been  allowed  to  leave  the  earth.  But  he  is  never  permitted  to 
go  into  the  presence  of  the  Great  Spirit.  Although  alone,  he 
is  perfectly  happy.  All  faithful  Indians  pass  by  him  as  they 
go  to  heaven.  They  see  him  and  recognize  him,  but  pass  on  in 
silence.  No  word  ever  passes  his  lips.' 

"  Friends  and  Relatives  :  It  was  by  the  influence  of  this 
great  man,  that  we  were  spared  as  a  people,  and  yet  live.  Had 
he  not  granted  us  his  protection,  where  would  we  have  been  ? 
Perished,  all  perished. 

"  The  four  Messengers  further  said  to  Handsome  Lake,  they 
were  fearful  that,  unless  the  people  repented,  and  obeyed  his 
commands,  the  patience  and  forbearance  of  their  Creator  would 
be  exhausted  ;  that  he  would  grow  angry  with  them,  and  cause 
their  increase  to  cease. 

"  Our  Creator  made  light  and  darkness.  He  made  the  sun 
to  heat  and  shine  over  the  world.  He  made  the  moon,  also,  to 
shine  by  night,  and  to  cool  the  world  if  the  sun  made  it  too  hot 
by  day.  The  keeper  of  the  clouds,  by  direction  of  the  Great 
Spirit,  will  then  cease  to  act.  The  keeper  of  the  springs  and 
running  brooks  will  cease  to  rule  them  for  the  good  of  man. 
The  sun  will  cease  to  fulfil  his  office.  Total  darkness  will  then 
cover  the  earth.  A  great  smoke  will  rise  and  spread  over  the 
face  of  the  earth.  Then  will  come  out  of- it  all  monsters  and 
poisonous  animals  created  by  the  Evil-minded  ;  and  they,  with 
the  wicked  upon  the  earth,  will  perish  together. 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN. 


79 


"  But  before  this  dreadful  time  shall  come,  the  Great  Spirit 
will  take  home  to  himself  all  the  good  and  faithful.  They  will 
lay  themselves  down  to  sleep,  and  from  this  sleep  of  death  they 
will  rise  and  go  home  to  their  Creator.  Thus  they  said. 

"  I  have  now  done.  I  close  thus,  that  you  may  remember 
and  understand  the  fate  which  awaits  the  earth,  and  the  un- 
faithful and  unbelieving.  Our  Creator  looks  down  upon  us. 
The  four  Beings  from  above  see  us.  They  witness  jvitji  pleas- 
ure this  assemblage  and  rejoice  at  the  object  for  which  it  is 
gathered.  It  is  now  forty-eight  years  since  we  first  began  to 
listen  to  the  renewed  will  of  our  Creator.  I  have  been  unable, 
during  the  time  allotted  to  me,  to  rehearse  all  the  sayings  of 
Ga-ne-o-di-yo.  I  regret  very  much  that  you  cannot  hear  them 
all. 

"  Councillors,  warriors,  women  and  children  :  I  have  done. 
I  thank  you  all  for  your  attendance,  and  for  your  kind  and 
patient  attention.  May  the  Great  Spirit,  who  rules  all  things, 
watch  over  and  protect  you  from  every  harm  and  danger,  while 
you  travel  the  journey  of  life.  May  the  Great  Spirit  bless  you 
all,  and  bestow  upon  you  life,  health,  peace,  and  prosperity  ; 
and  may  you,  in  turn,  appreciate  his  great  goodness.  Na-ho." 

The  gifted  author  from  whose  wonderful  description  of  the 
Iroquois  the  description  presented  in  this  chapter  has  been  con- 
densed concluded  his  description  of  the  rise,  progress,  and 
decline  of  the  League  with  the  following  mournful  but  truthful 
words  :  — 

"The  Iroquois  were  our  predecessors  in  the  sovereignty. 
Our  country  they  once  called  their  country ;  our  rivers  and 
lakes  were  their  rivers  and  lakes ;  our  hills  and  intervales  were 
also  theirs.  Before  us  they  enjoyed  the  beautiful  scenery 
spread  out  between  the  Hudson  and  Niagara,  in  its  wonderful 
diversity  from  the  pleasing  to  the  sublime.  Before  us  were 
they  invigorated  by  our  climate,  and  were  nourished  by  the 
bounties  of  the  earth,  the  forest,  and  the  stream-.  The  tie  by 
which  we  are  thus  connected  carries  with  it  the  duty  of  doing 
justice  to  their  memory  by  preserving  their  name  and  deeds, 
their  customs  and  their  institutions,  lest  they  perish  from  remem- 
brance. We  cannot  wish  to  tread  ignorantly  upon  those  extin- 
guished council-fires,  whose  light  in  the  days  of  aboriginal 
dominion  was  visible  over  half  the  continent. 


8o  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

"  The  political  structures  of  our  primitive  inhabitants  have,  in 
general,  proved  exceedingly  unsubstantial.  Isolated  nations, 
by  some  superiority  of  institutions,  or  casual  advantage  of  loca- 
tion, sprang  up  with  an  energetic  growth,  and  for  a  season 
spread  their  dominion  far  and  wide.  After  a  brief  period  of 
prosperity  they  were  borne  back  by  adverse  fortune  into  their 
original  obscurity ;  thus  rendering  these  boundless  territories 
the  constant  scene  of  human  conflict,  and  of  the  rise  and  fall 
of  Indian  sovereignties.  It  was  reserved  for  the  Iroquois  to 
rest  themselves  upon  a  more  durable  foundation,  by  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  League.  This  alliance  between  their  nations  they 
cemented  by  the  imperishable  bonds  of  tribal  relationship.  At 
the  epoch  of  Saxon  occupation,  they  were  rapidly  building  up 
an  empire  which  threatened  the  absorption  or  extermination  of 
the  whole  Indian  family  east  of  the  Mississippi.  Their  power 
had  become  sufficient  to  set  at  defiance  all  hostile  invasions 
from  contiguous  nations;  and  the  League  itself,  while  it  suffered 
no  loss  of  numbers  by  emigrating  bands,  was  endued  with  a 
capacity  for  indefinite  expansion.  At  the  periods  of  their  sepa- 
rate discovery,  the  Aztecs  on  the  south  and  the  Iroquois  in  the 
north  were  the  only  Indian  races  upon  the  continent  whose 
institutions  promised,  at  maturity,  to  ripen  into  civilization. 
Such  were  the  condition  and  prospect  of  this  Indian  League, 
when  Hendrick  Hudson,  more  than  two  centuries  since  (1609), 
sailed  up  the  river  which  constituted  their  eastern  boundary. 
This  silent  voyage  of  the  navigator  may  be  regarded  as  the 
opening  event  in  the  series  which  resulted  in  reversing  the 
political  prospect  of  the  Ho-de-no-sau-nee,  and  in  introducing 
into  their  Long  House  an  invader  more  relentless  in  his  purposes 
and  more  invincible  in  arms  than  the  Red  Man  against  whose 
assaults  it  had  been  erected. 

"  Their  council-fires,  so  far  as  they  are  emblematical  of  civil 
jurisdiction,  have  long  since  been  extinguished,  their  empire 
has  terminated,  and  the  shades  of  evening  are  now  gathering 
thickly  over  the  scattered  and  feeble  remnants  of  this  once 
powerful  League.  Race  has  yielded  to  race,  the  inevitable 
result  of  the  contact  of  the  civilized  with  the  hunter  life.  Who 
shall  relate  with  what  pangs  of  regret  they  yielded  up  from 
river  to  river,  and  from  lake  to  lake,  this  fair,  broad  domain  of 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  8 1 

their  fathers  ?  The  Iroquois  will  soon  be  lost,  as  a  people,  in 
that  night  of  impenetrable  darkness  in  which  so  many  Indian 
races  have  been  enshrouded.  Already  their  country  has  been 
appropriated,  their  forests  cleared,  and  their  trails  obliterated. 
The  residue  of  this  proud  and  gifted  race,  who  still  linger 
around  their  native  seats,  are  destined  to  fade  away  until  they 
become  eradicated  as  an  Indian  stock.  We  shall,  ere  long,  look 
backward  to  the  Iroquois  as  a  race  blotted  from  exisTertce ;  but 
to  remember  them  as  a  people  whose  Sachems  had  no  cities, 
whose  religion  had  no  temples,  and  whose  government  had  no 
record." 

All  writers  upon  Indian  history  and  Indian  character  have 
extolled  the  eloquence  of  the  leading  chiefs  among  them.  It 
seems  appropriate,  therefore,  to  include  in  this  account  of  the 
primitive  Red  Men  some  specimens  of  the  beauty  and  imagery 
of  the  language  used  by  these  "untutored  children  of  the 
forest." 

One  of  the  most  noted  Indians,  at  the  close  of  the  last  and 
opening  of  the  present  century,  was  Sagoyewatha,  called  by 
the  whites  Red-jacket.  He  died  January  io,  1830.  In  the 
year  1805,  at  a  council  held  at  Buffalo,  N.Y.,  there  were 
assembled  many  Seneca  chiefs  and  warriors  at  the  request  of 
a  missionary  from  Massachusetts,  who  explained  that  he  had 
called  them  together  to  instruct  them  how  to  worship  the  Great 
Spirit,  and  not  for  the  purpose  of  getting  away  their  lands  and 
money ;  that  there  was  but  one  religion,  and  unless  they  embraced 
it,  they  could  not  be  happy ;  that  they  had  lived  in  darkness 
and  great  error  all  their  lives ;  he  wished  if  they  had  any  objec- 
tions to  his  religion  they  would  state  them  ;  that  he  had  visited 
some  smaller  tribes,  who  waited  the  decision  of  the  present 
council  before  they  would  consent  to  receive  him,  as  the  Sene- 
cas  were  their  older  brothers.  After  the  missionary  had  con- 
cluded, the  Indians  conferred  together  among  themselves,  after 
which  an  answer  was  made  by  Red-jacket  as  follows  :  — 

"  Friend  and  brother,  it  was  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit  that 
we  should  meet  together  this  day.  He  orders  all  things,  and 
he  has  given  us  a  fine  day  for  our  council.  He  has  taken  his 
garment  from  before  the  sun,  and  caused  it  to  shine  with  bright- 
ness upon  us ;  our  eyes  are  opened  that  we  see  clearly  ;  our 


82  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

ears  are  unstopped  that  we  have  been  able  to  hear  distinctly 
the  words  that  you  have  spoken  ;  for  all  these  favors  w.e  thank 
the  Great  Spirit,  and  him  only. 

"  Brother,  this  council-fire  was  kindled  by  you ;  it  was  at 
your  request  that  we  came  together  at  this  time ;  we  have  lis- 
tened with  attention  to  what  you  have  said ;  you  requested  us 
to  speak  our  minds  freely ;  this  gives  us  great  joy,  for  we  now 
consider  that  we  stand  upright  before  you  and  can  speak  what 
we  think ;  all  have  heard  your  voice,  and  all  speak  to  you  as 
one  man  ;  our  minds  are  agreed. 

"  Brother,  you  say  you  want  an  answer  to  your  talk  before  you 
leave  this  place.  It  is  right  you  should  have  one,  as  you  are  a 
great  distance  from  home,  and  we  do  not  wish  to  detain  you ; 
but  we  will  first  look  back  a  little,  and  tell  you  what  our  fathers 
have  told  us,  and  what  we  have  heard  from  the  white  people. 

"  Brother,  listen  to  what  we  say.  There  was  a  time  when 
our  forefathers  owned  this  great  island.  Their  seats  extended 
from  the  rising  to  the  setting  sun.  The  Great  Spirit  had  made 
it  for  the  use  of  Indians.  He  had  created  the  buffalo,  the  deer, 
and  other  animals'  for  food.  He  made  the  bear  and  the  beaver, 
and  their  skins  served  us  for  clothing.  He  had  scattered  them 
over  the  country,  and  taught  us  how  to  take  them.  He  had 
caused  the  earth  to  produce  corn  for  bread.  All  this  he  had 
done  for  his  red  children  because  he  loved  them.  If  we  had 
any  disputes  about  hunting-grounds,  they  were  generally  settled 
without  the  shedding  of  much  blood  ;  but  an  evil  day  came 
upon  us ;  your  forefathers  crossed  the  great  waters,  and  landed 
on  this  island.  Their  numbers  were  small ;  they  found  friends 
and  not  enemies  ;  they  told  us  they  had  fled  from  their  own 
country  for  fear  of  wicked  men,  and  came  here  to  enjoy  their 
religion.  They  asked  for  a  small  seat ;  we  took  pity  on  them, 
granted  their  request,  and  they  sat  down  amongst  us ;  we  gave 
them  corn  and  meat ;  they  gave  us  poison  in  return.  The  white 
people  had  now  found  our  country ;  tidings  were  carried  back, 
and  more  came  amongst  us ;  yet  we  did  not  fear  them  ;  we  took 
them  to  be  friends  ;  they  called  us  brothers  ;  we  believed  them, 
and  gave  them  a  larger  seat.  At  length  their  numbers  had 
greatly  increased ;  they  wanted  more  land  ;  they  wanted  our 
country.  Our  eyes  were  opened,  and  our  minds  became  uneasy. 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  83 

Wars  took  place  ;  Indians  were  hired  to  fight  against  Indians, 
and  many  of  our  people  were  destroyed.  They  also  brought 
strong  liquors  among  us ;  it  was  strong  and  powerful,  and  has 
slain  thousands. 

"  Brother,  our  seats  were  once  large,  and  yours  were  very 
small ;  you  have  now  become  a  great  people,  and  we  have 
scarcely  a  place  left  to  spread  our  blankets  ;  you  have  got  our 
country,  but  are  not  satisfied ;  you  want  to  force  ymaf  religion 
upon  us. 

"  Brother,  continue  to  listen.  You  say  that  you  are  sent  to 
instruct  us  how  to  worship  the  Great  Spirit  agreeably  to  his 
mind,  and  if  we  do  not  take  hold  of  ^the  religion  which  you 
white  people  teach,  we  shall  be  unhappy  hereafter.  You  say 
that  you  are  right  and  we  are  lost.  How  do  you  know  this  to 
be  true  ?  We  understand  that  your  religion  is  written  in  a  book  ; 
if  it  was  intended  for  us  as  well  as  you,  why  has  not  the  Great 
Spirit  given  it  to  us,  and  not  only  to  us,  but  why  did  he  not  give 
to  our  forefathers  the  knowledge  of  that  book,  with  the  means 
of  understanding  it  rightly  ?  We  only  know  what  you  tell  us 
about  it  ;  how  shall  we  know  when  to  believe,  being  so  often 
deceived  by  the  white  people  ? 

"  Brother,  you  say  that  there  is  but  one  way  to  worship  and 
serve  the  Great  Spirit.  If  there  is  but  one  religion,  why  do  you 
white  people  differ  so  much  about  it  ?  Why  not  all  agree,  as 
you  can  all  read  the  book  ? 

"  Brother,  we  do  not  understand  these  things  ;  we  are  told 
that  your  religion  was  given  to  your  forefathers,  and  has  been 
handed  down  from  father  to  son.  We  also  have  a  religion  which 
was  given  to  our  forefathers,  and  has  been  handed  down  to  us, 
their  children.  We  worship  that  way.  It  teacheth  us  to  be 
thankful  for  all  the  favors  we  receive  ;  to  love  each  other,  and  to 
be  united ;  we  never  quarrel  about  religion. 

"  Brother,  the  Great  Spirit  has  made  us  all ;  but  he  has  made 
a  great  difference  between  his  white  and  red  children  ;  he  has 
given  us  a  different  complexion  and  different  customs ;  to  you 
he  has  given  the  arts  ;  to  these  he  has  not  opened  our  eyes  ;  we 
know  these  things  to  be  true.  Since  he  has  made  so  great  a 
difference  between  us  in  other  things,  why  may  we  not  conclude 
that  he  has  given  us  a  different  religion  according  to  our  under- 


84  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

standing ;  the  Great  Spirit  does  right ;  he  knows  what  is  best 
for  his  children  ;  we  are  satisfied. 

"Brother,  we  do  not  wish  to  destroy  your  religion,  or  take  it 
from  you  ;  we  only  want  to  enjoy  our  own. 

"  Brother,  you  say  that  you  have  not  come  to  get  our  land  or 
our  money,  but  to  enlighten  our  minds  ;  I  will  now  tell  you  that 
I  have  been  at  your  meetings,  and  saw  you  collecting  money 
from  the  meeting.  I  cannot  tell  what  this  money  was  intended 
for,  but  suppose  it  was  for  your  minister,  and  if  we  should  con- 
form to  your  way  of  thinking,  perhaps  you  may  want  some 
from  us. 

"  Brother,  we  are  told  that  you  have  been  preaching  to  white 
people  in  this  place  ;  these  people  are  our  neighbors ;  we  are 
acquainted  with  them  ;  we  will  wait  a  little  while  and  see  what 
effect  your  preaching  has  upon  them.  If  we  find  it  does  them 
good,  makes  them  honest  and  less  disposed  to  cheat  Indians,  we 
will  then  consider  again  what  you  have  said. 

"  Brother,  you  have  now  heard  our  answer  to  your  talk,  and 
this  is  all  we  have  to  say  at  present.  As  we  are  going  to  part, 
we  will  come  and  take  you  by  the  hand,  and  hope  the  Great 
Spirit  will  protect  you  on  your  journey,  and  return  you  safe  to 
your  friends." 

The  chief  and  others  then  drew  near  the  missionary  to  take 
him  by  the  hand  ;  but  he  would  not  receive  them,  and  hastily 
rising  from  his  seat,  said,  "  that  there  was  no  fellowship  between 
the  religion  of  God  and  the  works  of  the  devil,  and,  therefore, 
could  not  join  hands  with  them."  Upon  this  being  interpreted 
to  them,  "they  smiled,  and  retired  in  a  peaceable  manner." 

The  Indians  cannot  well  conceive  how  they  have  any  par- 
ticipation in  the  guilt  of  the  crucifixion,  inasmuch  as  they  do 
not  believe  themselves  of  the  same  religion  as  the  whites,  and 
there  being  no  dispute  but  that  the  latter  committed  that  act. 
Red-jacket  once  said  to  a  clergyman  who  was  importuning  him 
upon  the  subject  :  — 

"Brother,  if  you  white  men  murdered  the  Son  of  the  Great 
Spirit,  we  Indians  had  nothing  to  do  with  it,  and  it  is  none  of 
our  affair.  If  he  had  come  among  us,  we  would  not  have  killed 
him  ;  we  would  have  treated  him  well.  You  must  make  amends 
for  that  crime  yourselves." 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  85 

Another  illustration  is  given  in  the  following  account  of  a 
trial  of  a  chief  who  executed  a  woman  for  alleged  witchcraft. 
The  story  is  as  follows  :  — 

"  In  the  spring  of  1821,  a  man  of  Red-jacket's  tribe  fell  into  a 
languishment  and  died.  His  complaint  was  unknown,  and  some 
circumstances  attended  his  illness  which  caused  his  friends  to 
believe  that  he  was  bewitched.  The  woman  that  attended  was 
fixed  upon  as  the  witch,  and  by  the  law,  or  custom,  of  t*rie  nation, 
she  was  doomed  to  suffer  death.  A  chief  by  the  name  of  Tom- 
jemmy,  called  by  his  own  people  Soo-nong-gise,  executed  the 
decree  by  cutting  her  throat.  The  Americans  took  up  the 
matter,  seized  Tom-jemmy,  and  threw  him  into  prison.  Some 
time  after,  when  his  trial  came  on,  Red-jacket  appeared  in  court 
as  an  evidence.  The  counsel  for  the  prisoner  denied  that  the 
court  had  any  jurisdiction  over  the  case,  and  after  it  was  carried 
through  three  terms,  Soo-nong-gise  was  finally  cleared.  Red- 
jacket  and  the  other  witnesses  testified  that  the  woman  was  a 
witch,  and  that  she  had  been  tried,  condemned,  and  executed  in 
pursuance  of  their  laws,  which  had  been  established  from  time 
immemorial,  long  before  the  English  came  into  the  country. 
The  witch  doctrine  of  the  Senecas  was  much  ridiculed  by  some 
of  the  Americans,  to  which  Red-jacket  thus  aptly  alludes  in  a 
speech  which  he  made  while  upon  the  stand  :  — 

"  '  What !  do  you  denounce  us  as  fools  and  bigots,  because  we 
still  continue  to  believe  that  which  you  yourselves  sedulously 
inculcated  two  centuries  ago  ?  Your  divines  have  thundered 
this  doctrine  from  the  pulpit,  your  judges  have  pronounced  it 
from  the  bench,  your  courts  of  justice  have  sanctioned  it  with 
the  formalities  of  law,  and  you  would  now  punish  our  unfortunate 
brother  for  adhering  to  the  superstitions  of  his  fathers !  Go  to 
Salem  !  Look  at  the  records  of  your  government,  and  you  will 
find  hundreds  executed  for  the  very  crime  which  has  called  forth 
the  sentence  of  condemnation  upon  this  woman,  and  drawn  down 
the  arm  of  vengeance  upon  her.  What  have  our  brothers  done 
more  than  the  rulers  of  your  people  have  done  ?  And  what 
crime  has  this  man  committed  by  executing,  in  a  summary  way, 
the  laws  of  his  country  and  the  injunctions  of  his  God  ? ' ' 

Before  Red-jacket  was  admitted  to  give  evidence  in  the  case, 
he  was  asked  if  he  believed  in  future  rewards  and  punishments, 


86  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

and  the  existence  of  God.  With  a  piercing  look  into  the  face  of 
his  interrogator,  and  with  no  little  indignation  of  expression,  he 
replied  :  "  Yes !  much  more  than  the  white  men,  if  we  are  to 
judge  of  their  actions." 

Upon  the  appearance  of  Red-jacket  upon  this  occasion,  one 
observes  :  "  There  is  not,  perhaps,  in  nature  a  more  expressive 
eye  than  that  of  Red-jacket  ;  when  fired  by  indignation  or 
revenge  it  is  terrible,  and  when  he  chooses  to  display  his  un- 
rivalled talent  for  irony,  his  keen,  sarcastic  glance  is  irresistible." 

Red-jacket  visited  Philadelphia  in  1792,  at  which  time  he  was 
welcomed  by  the  Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  who  delivered  to 
him  an  address  in  behalf  of  the  Commonwealth.  Red-jacket 
made  a  speech  in  reply,  which  we  here  reproduce.  "  Onas  "  was 
the  name  the  Indians  gave  William  Penn,  and  which  they  con- 
tinued to  give  to  all  subsequent  governors  of  Philadelphia.  This 
will  explain  the  allusion  in  the  following  speech  :  — 

"Brother  Onas  Governor,  open  unprejudiced  ears  to  what  we 
have  to  say.  Some  days  since  you  addressed  us,  and  what  you 
said  gave  us  great  pleasure.  This  day  the  Great  Spirit  has 
allowed  us  to  meet  you  again,  in  this  council-chamber.  We  hope 
that  your  not  receiving  an  immediate  answer  to  your  address 
will  make  no  improper  impression  on  your  mind.  We  mention 
this  lest  you  should  suspect  that  your  kind  welcome  and  friendly 
address  has  not  had  a  proper  effect  upon  our  hearts.  We  assure 
you  it  is  far  otherwise.  In  your  address  to  us  the  other  day,  in 
this  ancient  council-chamber,  where  our  forefathers  have  often 
conversed  together,  several  things  struck  our  attention  very 
forcibly.  When  you  told  us  this  was  the  place  in  which  our 
forefathers  often  met  on  peaceable  terms,  it  gave  us  sensible 
pleasure,  and  more  joy  than  we  could  express.  Though  we  have 
no  writings  like  you,  yet  we  remember  often  to  have  heard  of 
the  friendship  that  existed  between  our  fathers  and  yours.  The 
picture  to  which  you  drew  our  attention  "  (a  fine  picture  represent- 
ing Penn's  treaty  with  the  Indians),  "brought  fresh  to  our  minds 
the  friendly  conferences  that  used  to  be  held  between  the  former 
governors  of  Pennsylvania  and  our  tribes,  and  showed  the  love 
which  your  forefathers  had  of  peace,  and  the  friendly  disposition 
of  our  people.  It  is  still  our  wish,  as  well  as  yours,  to  preserve 
peace  between  our  tribes  and  you,  and  it  would  be  well  if  the 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  87 

same  spirit  existed  among  the  Indians  to  the  westward,  and 
through  every  part  of  the  United  States.  You  particularly  ex- 
pressed that  you  were  well  pleased  to  find  that  we  differed  in 
disposition  from  the  Indians  westward.  Your  disposition  is  that 
for  which  the  ancient  Onas  Governors  were  remarkable.  As 
you  love  peace,  so  do  we  also ;  and  we  wish  it  could  be  extended 
to  the  most  distant  part  of  this  great  country.  We  agreed  in 
council  this  morning  that  the  sentiments  I  have  expressed  should 
be  communicated  to  you  before  the  delegates  of  the  Five 
Nations,  and  to  tell  you  that  your  cordial  welcome  to  this  city, 
and  the  good  sentiment  contained  in  your  address,  have  made  a 
deep  impression  on  our  hearts,  have  given  us  great  joy,  and 
from  the  heart  I  tell  you  so.  This  is  all  I  have  to  say." 

Another  famous  Seneca  chief  was  Ho-na-ya-wus,  whose 
English  name  was  Farmer's  Brother.  Throughout  his  whole 
life  this  chief  seems  to  have  been  a  peacemaker.  He  fought 
against  the  Colonists  in  the  Revolution,  but  in  the  War  of  1812 
he  fought  with  the  United  States  forces.  One  of  his  moat 
celebrated  speeches  was  delivered  in  the  Council  at  Genesee 
River  in  1798,  which  after  being  interpreted  was  signed  by  the 
chiefs  present  and  sent  to  the  Legislature  at  New  York.  It 
was  as  follows  :  — 

"  Brothers,  as  you  are  once  more  assembled  in  council  for  the 
purpose  of  doing  honor  to  yourselves  and  justice  to  your 
country,  we,  your  brothers,  the  sachems,  chiefs,  and  warriors  of 
the  Seneca  nation,  request  you  to  open  your  ears  and  give 
attention  to  our  voice  and  wishes.  You  will  recollect  the  late 
contest  between  you  and  your  father,  the  great  king  of  England. 
This  contest  threw  the  inhabitants  of  this  whole  island  into 
a  great  tumult  and  commotion,  like  a  raging  whirlwind  which 
tears  up  the  trees  and  tosses  to  and  fro  the  leaves,  so  that  no 
one  knows  from  whence  they  come  or  where  they  will  fall.  This 
whirlwind  was  so  directed  by  the  Great  Spirit  above  as  to  throw 
into  our  arms  two  of  your  infant  children,  Jasper  Parish  and 
Horatio  Jones.  We  adopted  them  into  our  families  and  made 
them  our  children.  We  loved  them  and  nourished  them.  They 
lived  with  us  many  years.  At  length  the  Great  Spirit  spoke  to 
the  whirlwind,  and  it  was  still.  A  clear  and  uninterrupted  sky 
appeared.  The  path  of  peace  was  opened  and  the  chain  of 


88  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

friendship  was  once  more  made  bright.  Then  these  our  adopted 
children  left  us  to  seek  their  relations  ;  we  wished  them  to 
remain  among  us  and  promised  if  they  would  return,  and  live  in 
our  country,  to  give  each  of  them  a  seat  of  land  for  them  and 
their  children  to  sit  down  upon.  They  have  returned  and  have 
for  several  years  past  been  serviceable  to  us  as  interpreters. 
We  still  feel  our  hearts  beat  with  affection  for  them,  and  now 
wish  to  fulfil  the  promise  we  made  them,  and  reward  them  for 
their  services.  We  have,  therefore,  made  up  our  minds  to  give 
them  a  seat  of  two  square  miles  of  land  lying  on  the  outlets  of 
Lake  Erie,  about  three  miles  below  Black  Rock,  beginning  at 
the  mouth  of  a  creek  known  by  the  name  of  Scoyguquoydes 
Creek,  running  one  mile  from  the  River  Niagara,  up  said  creek, 
thence  northerly  as  the  river  runs  two  miles,  thence  westerly 
one  mile  to  the  river,  thence  up  the  river,  as  the  river  runs,  two 
miles,  to  the  place  of  beginning,  so  as  to  contain  two  square  miles. 
We  have  now  made  known  to  you  our  minds.  We  expect  and 
earnestly  request  that  you  will  permit  our  friends  to  receive  this 
our  gift,  and  will  make  the  same  good  to  them  according  to  the 
laws  and  customs  of  your  nation.  Why  should  you  hesitate  to 
make  our  minds  easy  with  regard  to  this  our  request  ?  To  you 
it  is  but  a  little  thing ;  and  have  you  not  complied  with  the 
request  and  confirmed  the  gifts  of  our  brothers,  the  Oneidas,  the 
Onondagas,  and  Cayugas,  to  their  interpreters  ?  And  shall  we 
ask  and  not  be  heard  ?  We  send  you  this  our  speech,  to  which 
we  expect  your  answer  before  the  breaking  up  of  our  great 
council-fire." 

It  has  with  truth  been  said  that  there  never  flowed  from  the 
lips  of  a  man  more  sublime  metaphor  than  that  made  use  of 
by  this  chief  in  the  speech  given  above  when  alluding  to  the 
Revolutionary  contest,  "  the  Great  Spirit  spoke  to  the  whirl- 
wind, and  it  was  still."  This  chief  died  before  the  close  of  the 
War  of  1812,  more  than  "  eighty  snows  in  years." 

Another  chief  prominent  among  the  Senecas  was  Gyantwaka, 
or  Corn  Planter.  It  will  be  remembered  that  the  Six  Nations, 
with  the  exception  of  the  Oneidas,  took  part  with  England 
in  the  Revolution.  At  the  end  of  that  war  the  Indian  nations 
were  reduced  to  the  alternative  of  giving  up  such  of  their 
country  as  the  Colonists  required,  or  of  losing  the  whole  of  it. 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  89 

In  1790  a  most  pathetic  appeal  was  made  to  Congress  for  some 
amelioration  of  the  condition  of  the  Six  Nations,  which  appeal 
was  believed  to  be  the  production  of  Corn  Planter  and  in  which 
the  following  passage  occurs  :  — 

"  Father,  we  will  not  conceal  from  you  that  the  great  God 
and  not  men  has  preserved  the  Corn-plant  from  the  hands  of 
his  own  nation.  For 'they  ask  continually  '  where  is  the  Jand  on 
which  our  children  and  their  children  after  them  are  to  lie  down 
upon  ?  You  told  us  that  the  line  drawn  from  Pennsylvania 
to  Lake  Ontario  would  mark  it  forever  on  the  east,  and  the  line 
running  from  Beaver  Creek  to  Pennsylvania  would  mark  it  on 
the  west,  and  we  see  it  is  not  so ;  for,  first  one  and  then  another 
come  and  take  it  away  by  order  of  that  people  which  you  tell  us 
promised  to  secure  it  to  us.'  He  is  silent,  for  he  has  nothing 
to  answer.  When  the  sun  goes  down,  he  opens  his  heart  before 
God,  and  earlier  than  the  sun  appears  again  upon  the  hills  he 
gives  thanks  for  his  protection  during  the  night.  For  he  feels 
that  among  men  become  desperate  by  the  injuries  they  sustain 
it  is  God  only  that  can  preserve  him.  He  loves  peace,  and  all 
he  had  in  store  he  has  given  to  those  who  have  been  robbed  by 
your  people,  lest  they  should  plunder  the  innocent  to  repay 
themselves.  The  whole  season,  which  others  have  employed  in 
providing  for  their  families,  he  has  spent  in  endeavors  to  pre- 
serve peace ;  and  this  moment  his  wife  and  children  are  lying 
on  the  ground  and  in  want  of  food." 

Corn  Planter,  accompanied  by  two  other  chiefs,  subsequently 
came  to  Philadelphia,  on  which  occasion  the  following  communi- 
cation was  made  to  President  Washington  :  — 

"  Father,  the  voice  of  the  Seneca  nations  speaks  to  you,  the 
great  counsellor,  in  whose  heart  the  wise  men  of  all  the  thirteen 
fires  "  (thirteen  United  States)  "  have  placed  their  wisdom.  It 
may  be  very  small  in  your  ears,  and  we  therefore  entreat  you  to 
hearken  with  attention ;  for  we  are  able  to  speak  of  things  which 
are  to  us  very  great. 

"  When  your  army  entered  the  country  of  the  Six  Nations, 
we  called  you  the  Town  Destroyer  ;  to  this  day,  when  your  name 
is  heard,  our  women  look  behind  them  and  turn  pale,  and  our 
children  cling  close  to  the  necks  of  their  mothers. 

"  When  our  chiefs  returned   from    Fort    Stanwix,    and   laid 


go  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

before  our  council  what  had  been  done  there,  our  nation  was 
surprised  to  hear  how  great  a  country  you  had  compelled  them 
to  give  up  to  you,  without  your  paying  to  us  anything  for  it. 
Every  one  said  that  your  hearts  were  yet  swelled  with  resent- 
ment against  us  for  what  had  happened  during  the  war,  but  that 
one  day  you  would  consider  it  with  more  kindness.  We  asked 
each  other,  'What  have  we  done  to  deserve  such  severe  chastise- 
ment?' 

"  Father,  when  you  kindled  your  thirteen  fires  separately,  the 
wise  men  assembled  at  them  told  us  that  you  were  all  brothers, 
the  children  of  one  great  father,  who  regarded  the  red  people  as 
his  children.  They  called  us  brothers,  and  invited  us  to  his  pro- 
tection. They  told  us  that  he  resided  beyond  the  great  water 
where  the  sun  first  rises,  and  that  he  was  a  king  whose  power 
no  people  could  resist,  and  that  his  goodness  was  as  bright  as 
the  sun.  What  they  said  went  to  our  hearts.  We  accepted  the 
invitation  and  promised  to  obey  him.  What  the  Seneca  nation 
promises  they  faithfully  perform.  When  you  refused  obedience 
to  that  king,  he  commanded  us  to  assist  his  beloved  men  in  mak- 
ing you  sober.  In  obeying  him,  we  did  no  more  than  yourselves 
had  led  us  to  promise.  We  were  deceived,  but  your  people, 
teaching  us  to  confide  in  that  king,  had  helped  to  deceive  us, 
and  we  now  appeal  to  your  breast.  Is  all  the  blame  ours  ? 

"  Father,  when  we  saw  that  we  had  been  deceived,  and  heard 
the  invitation  that  you  gave  us  to  draw  near  to  the  fire  you  had. 
kindled,  and  talk  with  you  concerning  peace,  we  made  haste 
towards  it.  You  told  us  you  could  crush  us  to  nothing,  and  you 
demanded  from  us  a  great  country,  as  the  price  of  that  peace 
which  you  had  offered  to  us ;  as  if  our  want  of  strength  had 
destroyed  our  rights.  Our  chiefs  had  felt  your  power  and  were 
unable  to  contend  against  you,  and  they  therefore  gave  up  that 
country.  What  they  agreed  to. has  bound  our  nation,  but  your 
anger  against  us  must  by  this  time  be  cooled,  and  although  our 
strength  is  not  increased,  nor  your  power  become  less,  we  ask 
you  to  consider  calmly :  Were  the  terms  dictated  to  us  by  your , 
commissioners  reasonable  and  just  ?  " 

After  further  alluding  to  the  unjust  treatment  which  they 
had  received  from  the  whites,  the  address  continued :  — 

"  Father,  you  have  said  that  we  were  in  your  hand,  and  that 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  gi 

by  closing  it  you  could  crush  us  to  nothing.  Are  you  deter- 
mined to  crush  us  ?  If  you  are,  tell  us  so,  that  those  of  our 
nation  who  have  become  your  children,  and  have  determined 
to  die  so,  may  know  what  to  do.  In  this  case,  one  chief  has 
said  he  would  ask  you  to  put  him  out  of  his  pain.  Another, 
who  will  not  think  of  dying  by  the  hand  of  his  father  or  his 
brother,  has  said  he  will  retire  to  the  Chataughque,  eat  fjf  the 
fatal  root,  and  sleep  with  his  fathers  in  peace. 

"All  the  land  we  have  been  speaking  of  belonged  to  the 
Six  Nations.  No  part  of  it  ever  belonged  to  the  king  of  Eng- 
land, and  he  could  not  give  it  to  you. 

"  Hear  us  once  more.  At  Fort  Stanwix  we  agreed  to 
deliver  up  those  of  our  people  who  should  do  you  any  wrong, 
and  that  you  might  try  them  and  punish  them  according  to 
your  law.  We  delivered  up  two  men  accordingly.  But 
instead  of  trying  them  according  to  your  law,  the  lowest  of 
your  people  took  them  from  your  magistrate,  and  put  them 
immediately  to  death.  It  is  just  to  punish  the  murderer  with 
death,  but  the  Senecas  will  not  deliver  up  their  people  to 
men  who  disregard  the  treaties  of  their  own  nation." 

Black  Thunder,  whose  Indian  name  was  Mackkatananamakee, 
was  one  of  the  most  celebrated  warriors  of  the  Fox  Tribe 
among  the  western  Indians.  An  excellent  speech  was  made 
by  him  to  the  American  Commissioners  who  had  assembled 
many  chiefs  in  council  at  a  place  called  The  Portage,  July, 
1815,  upon  the  state  of  their  affairs.  It  was  supposed  that 
the  Indians  meditated  hostilities  against  the  whites.  One  of 
the  American  Commissioners,  in  opening  the  talk,  unwisely 
accused  the  Indians  of  breach  of  former  treaties.  The  first 
chief  that  answered,  spoke  with  a  tremulous  voice  which  evi- 
dently portrayed  guilt,  or  perhaps  fear.  Black  Thunder's 
reply  showed  him  equally  indignant  at  the  charge  of  the  white 
man  and  at  the  cowardice  of  the  chief  who  had  preceded  him. 
The  speech  was  as  follows  :  — 

"  My  father,  restrain  your  feelings,  and  hear  calmly  what  I 
shall  say.     I  shall  say  it  plainly.     I  shall  not  speak  with  fear 
and  trembling.     I  have  never  injured  you,  and  innocence  can 
feel  no  fear.     I  turn  to  you  all  —  red-skins  and  white-skins,  — 
where  is  the  man  who  will  appear  as  my  accuser  ?     Father,  I 


92  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

understand  not  clearly  how  things  are  working.  I  have  just 
been  set  at  liberty.  Am  I  again  to  be  plunged  into  bondage  ? 
Frowns  are  all  around  me,  but  I  am  incapable  of  change. 
You,  perhaps,  may  be  ignorant  of  what  I  tell  you,  but  it  is  a 
truth,  which  I  call  heaven  and  earth  to  witness.  It  is  a  fact 
which  can  easily  be  proved,  that  I  have  been  assailed  in  almost 
every  possible  way  that  pride,  fear,  feeling,  or  interest  could 
touch  me  —  that  I  have  been  pushed  to  the  last  to  raise  the 
tomahawk  against  you,  but  all  in  vain.  I  never  could  be  made 
to  feel  that  you  were  my  enemy.  If  this  be  the  conduct  of 
an  enemy,  I  shall  never  be  your  friend.  You  are  acquainted 
with  my  removal  above  Prairie  du  Chien.  I  went  and  formed 
a  settlement  and  called  my  warriors  around  me.  We  took 
counsel,  and  from  that  counsel  we  have  never  departed.  We 
smoked,  and  resolved  to  make  common  cause  with  the  United 
States.  I  sent  you  the  pipe,  —  it  resembled  this,  —  and  I  sent 
it  by  the  Missouri,  that  the  Indians  of  the  Mississippi  might 
not' know  what  we  were  doing.  You  received  it.  I  then  told 
you  that  your  friends  should  be  my  friends,  —  that  your  enemies 
should  be  my  enemies,  —  and  that  I  only  awaited  your  signal 
to  make  war.  If  this  be  the  conduct  of  an  enemy,  I  shall 
never  be  your  friend.  Why  do  I  tell  you  this  ?  Because  it  is 
the  truth,  and  a  melancholy  truth,  that  the  good  things  which 
men  do  are  often  buried  in  the  ground,  while  their  evil  deeds 
are  stripped  naked  and  exposed  to  the  world.  When  I  came 
here,  I  came  to  you  in  friendship.  I  little  thought  I  should 
have  to  defend  myself.  I  have  no  defence  to  make.  If  I  were 
guilty,  I  should  have  come  prepared;  but  I  have  ever  held  you 
by  the  hand,  and  I  am  come  without  excuses.  If  I  had  fought 
against  you,  I  would  have  told  you  so ;  but  I  have  nothing  now 
to  say  here  in  your  councils,  except  to  repeat  what  I  said  before 
to  my  great  father,  the  president  of  your  nation.  You  heard  it, 
and  no  doubt  remember  it.  It  was  simply  this  :  My  lands  can 
never  be  surrendered ;  I  was  cheated,  and  basely  cheated,  in 
the  contract ;  I  will  not  surrender  my  country  but  with  my 
life.  Again  I  call  heaven  and  earth  to  witness,  and  I  smoke 
this  pipe  in  evidence  of  my  sincerity.  If  you  are  sincere,  you 
will  receive  it  from  me.  My  only  desire  is,  that  we  should 
smoke  it  together,  that  I  should  grasp  your  sacred  hand,  and 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN. 


93 


I  claim  for  myself  and  my  tribe  the  protection  of  your  country. 
When  this  pipe  touches  your  lips,  may  it  operate  as  a  blessing 
upon  all  my  tribe.  May  the  smoke  rise  like  a  cloud  and  carry 
away  with  it  all  the  animosities  which  have  arisen  between  us." 

It  is  worthy  of  statement  that  the  issue  of  the  council  was 
peaceful,  and  in  September  following  Black  Thunder  met  the 
Commissioners  at  St.  Louis,  and  executed  a  treaty  of  peac^. 

Another  famous  western  Indian  was  Black  Hawk.  Shortly 
after  a  long  period  of  righting  with  the  United  States  forces,  he 
was  finally  captured  and  delivered  to  the  whites.  The  following 
is  said  to  be  the  speech  which  Black  Hawk  made  when  he  sur- 
rendered himself  to  the  agent  at  Prairie  du  Chien :  — 

"  You  have  taken  me  prisoner  with  all  my  warriors.  I  am 
much  grieved,  for  I  expected,  if  I  did  not  defeat  you,  to  hold 
out  much  longer  and  give  you  more  trouble  before  I  sur- 
rendered. I  tried  hard  to  bring  you  into  ambush,  but  your  last 
general  understands  Indian  fighting.  The  first  one  was  not 
so  wise.  When  I  saw  that  I  could  not  beat  you  by  Indian 
fighting,  I  determined  to  rush  on  you,  and  fight  you  face  to 
face.  I  fought  hard.  But  your  guns  were  well  aimed.  The 
bullets  flew  like  birds  in  the  air,  and  whizzed  by  our  ears  like 
the  wind  through  the  trees  in  the  winter.  My  warriors  fell 
around  me ;  it  began  to  look  dismal.  I  saw  my  evil  day  at 
hand.  The  sun  rose  dim  on  us  in  the  morning,  and  at  night 
it  sunk  in  a  dark  cloud  and  looked  like  a  ball  of  fire.  This 
was  the  last  sun  that  shone  on  Black  Hawk.  His  heart  is 
dead  and  no  longer  beats  quick  in  his  bosom.  He  is  now  a 
prisoner  to  the  white  men ;  they  will  do  with  him  as  they 
wish.  But  he  can  stand  torture  and  is  not  afraid  of  death. 
He  is  no  coward.  Black  Hawk  is  an  Indian. 

"  He  has  done  nothing  for  which  an  Indian  ought  to  be 
ashamed.  He  has  fought  for  his  countrymen,  the  squaws  and 
papooses,  against  white  men,  who  came,  year  after  year,  to 
cheat  them  and  take  away  their  lands.  You  know  the  cause 
of  our  making  war.  It  is  known  to  all  white  men.  They 
ought  to  be  ashamed  of  it.  The  white  men  despise  the  Indians 
and  drive  them  from  their  homes.  But  the  Indians  are  not 
deceitful.  The  white  men  speak  bad  of  the  Indian  and  look 
at  him  spitefully.  But  the  Indian  does  not  tell  lies.  Indians 
do  not  steal. 


94  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

"An  Indian  who  is  as  bad  as  the  white  men  could  not  live 
in  our  nation ;  he  would  be  put  to  death,  and  eat  up  by  the 
wolves.  The  white  men  are  bad  schoolmasters ;  they  carry 
false  looks,  and  deal  in  false  actions ;  they  smile  in  the  face 
of  the  poor  Indian  to  cheat  him  ;  they  shake  them  by  the 
hand  to  get  their  confidence,  —  to  make  them  drunk,  to  deceive 
them,  and  ruin  their  wives.  We  told  them  to  let  us  alone  and 
keep  away  from  us,  but  they  followed  on  and  beset  our  paths, 
and  they  coiled  themselves  among  us,  like  the  snake.  They 
poisoned  us  by  their  touch.  We  were  not  safe.  We  lived  in 
danger.  We  were  becoming,  like  them,  hypocrites  and  liars, 
adulterers,  lazy  drones,  all  talkers  and  no  workers. 

"  We  looked  up  to  the  Great  Spirit.  We  went  to  our  great 
father.  We  were  encouraged.  His  great  council  gave  us  fair 
words  and  big  promises,  but  we  got  no  satisfaction.  Things 
were  growing  worse.  There  were  no  deer  in  the  forest.  The 
opossum  and  beaver  were  fled ;  the  springs  were  drying  up,  and 
our  squaws  and  papooses  without  victuals  to  keep  them  from 
starving.  We  called  a  great  council  and  built  a  large  fire. 
The  spirit  of  our  fathers  arose  and  spoke  to  us  to  avenge  our 
wrongs  or  die.  We  all  spoke  before  the  council-fire.  It  was 
warm  and  pleasant.  We  set  up  the  war-whoop  and  dug  up  the 
tomahawk ;  our  knives  were  ready,  and  the  heart  of  Black 
Hawk  swelled  high  in  his  bosom  when  he  led  his  warriors  to 
battle.  He  is  satisfied.  He  will  go  to  the  world  of  spirits 
contented.  He  has  done  his  duty.  His  father  will  meet  him 
there  and  commend  him. 

"Black  Hawk  is  a  true  Indian  and  disdains  to  cry  like  a 
woman.  He  feels  for  his  wife,  his  children,  and  friends.  But 
he  does  not  care  for  himself.  He  cares  for  his  nation  and  the 
Indians.  They  will  suffer.  He  laments  their  fate.  The  white 
men  do  not  scalp  the  head,  but  they  do  worse  —  they  poison 
the  heart ;  it  is  not  pure  with  them.  His  countrymen  will  not 
be  scalped,  but  they  will,  in  a  few  years,  become  like  the  white 
men,  so  that  you  can't  trust  them,  and  there  must  be,  as  in  the 
white  settlements,  nearly  as  many  officers  as  men,  to  take  care 
of  them  and  keep  them  in  order. 

"  Farewell,  my  nation  !  Black  Hawk  tried  to  save  you  and 
avenge  your  wrongs.  He  drank  the  blood  of  some  of  the 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  95 

whites.  He  has  been  taken  prisoner,  and  his  plans  are 
stopped.  He  can  do  no  more.  He  is  near  his  end.  His  sun 
is  setting,  and  he  will  rise  no  more.  Farewell  to  Black  Hawk." 

A  conspicuous  war-captain  among  the  Delawares,  and  par- 
ticularly during  the  period  of  the  Revolution,  was  a  chief  of  the 
Wolf  Tribe,  whose  Indian  name  was  Hopocan,  known  among 
the  whites  as  Captain  Pipe.  He  seems  to  have  wieldedv  great 
influence  both  before  and  after  the  Revolution.  At  one  time, 
in  an  expedition  against  the  Americans,  Captain  Pipe  went 
to  Detroit,  where  he  was  received  with  respect  by  the 
British  commander,  who,  with  his  attendants,  was  invited  to  the 
council  house  to  give  an  account  of  past  transactions.  Captain 
Pipe  was  seated  in  front  of  his  Indians,  facing  the  chief  officer, 
and  held  in  his  left  hand  a  short  stick  to  which  was  fastened  a 
scalp.  After  the  usual  pause,  he  arose  and  spoke  as  follows  : — 

"  Father  "  (then  he  stopped  a  little,  and,  turning  towards  the 
audience,  with  a  countenance  full  of  great  expression,  and  a  sar- 
castic look,  said,  in  a  lower  tone  of  voice),  "  I  have  said  father, 
although  indeed  I  do  not  know  why  I  am  to  call  him  so,  having 
never  known  any  other  father  than  the  French,  and  considering 
the  English  only  as  brothers.  But  as  this  name  is  also  imposed 
upon  us,  I  shall  make  use  of  it,  and  say"  (at  the  same  time  fixing 
his  eyes  upon  the  commandment),  "  father,  some  time  ago  you 
put  a  war-hatchet  into  my  hands,  saying,  '  Take  this  weapon 
and  try  it  on  the  heads  of  my  enemies,  the  Long-Knives,  and 
let  me  afterwards  know  if  it  was  sharp  and  good.'  Father,  at 
the  time  when  you  gave  me  this  weapon,  I  had  neither  cause 
nor  inclination  to  go  to  war  against  a  people  who  had  done  me 
no  injury,  yet  in  obedience  to  you,  who  say  you  are  my  father, 
and  called  me  your  child,  I  received  the  hatchet,  well  knowing 
that  if  I  did  not  obey,  you  would  withhold  from  me  the  neces- 
saries of  life,  without  which  I  could  not  subsist,  and  which  are 
not  elsewhere  to  be  procured  but  at  the  house  of  my  father. 
You  may  perhaps  think  me  a  fool  for  .risking  my  life  at  your 
bidding,  in  a  cause,  too,  by  which  I  have  no  prospect  of  gaining 
anything  ;  for  it  is  your  cause  and  not  mine.  It  is  your  concern 
to  fight  the  Long-Knives.  You  have  raised  a  quarrel  amongst 
yourselves,  and  you  ought  yourselves  to  fight  it  out.  You  should 
not  compel  your  children  the  Indians  to  expose  themselves  to 


96  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

danger  for  your  sakes.  Father,  how  many  lives  have  been  lost 
on  your  account  ?  Nations  have  suffered  and  been  weakened  ! 
Children  have  lost  parents,  brothers,  and  relatives  !  Wives  have 
lost  husbands !  It  is  not  known  how  many  more  may  perish 
before  your  war  will  be  at  an  end  !  Father,  I  have  said  that  you 
may,  perhaps,  think  me  a  fool  for  thus  thoughtlessly  rushing  on 
your  enemy.  Do  not  believe  this,  father.  Think  not  that  I 
want  sense  to  convince  me  that  although  now  you  pretend  to 
keep  up  a  perpetual  enmity  to  the  Long-Knives,  you  may  before 
long  conclude  a  peace  with  them.  Father,  you  say  you  love 
your  children,  the  Indians.  This  you  have  often  told  them,  and 
indeed  it  is  your  interest  to  say  so  to  them,  that  you  may  have 
them  at  your  service.  But,  father,  who  of  us  can  believe  that 
you  can  love  a  people  of  a  different  color  from  your  own  better 
than  those  who  have  a  white  skin  like  yourselves  ?  Father,  pay 
attention  to  what  I  am  going  to  say.  While  you,  father,  are  set- 
ting me"  (meaning  the  Indians  in  general)  "on  your  enemy  much 
in  the  same  manner  as  a  hunter  sets  his  dog  on  the  game,  while 
I  am  in  the  act  of  rushing  on  that  enemy  of  yours,  with  the 
bloody  destructive  weapon  you  gave  me,  I  may  perchance  hap- 
pen to  look  back  to  the  place  from  whence  you  started  me,  and 
what  shall  I  see  ?  Perhaps  I  may  see  my  father  shaking  hands 
with  the  Long-Knives ;  yes,  with  these  very  people  he  now  calls 
his  enemies.  I  may  then  see  him  laugh  at  my  folly  for  having 
obeyed  his  orders,  and  yet  I  am  now  risking  my  life  at  his  com- 
mand. Father,  keep  what  I  have  said  in  remembrance.  Now, 
father,  here  is  what  has  been  done  with  the  hatchet  you  gave 
me."  (With  these  words  he  handed  the  stick  to  the  commandant, 
with  the  scalp  upon  it,  above  mentioned.)  "  I  have  done  with  the 
hatchet  what  you  ordered  me  to  do,  and  found  it  sharp.  Never- 
theless, I  did  not  do  all  that  I  might  have  done.  No,  I  did  not. 
My  heart  failed  within  me.  I  felt  compassion  for  your  enemy. 
Innocence  (helpless  women  and  children)  had  no  part  in  your 
quarrels ;  therefore  I  distinguished  —  I  spared.  I  took  some 
live  flesh,  which,  while  I  was  bringing  to  you,  I  spied  one  of 
your  large  canoes,  on  which  I  put  it  for  you.  In  a  few  days  you 
will  recover  this  flesh,  and  find  that  the  skin  is  of  the  same  color 
with  your  own.  Father,  I  hope  you  will  not  destroy  what  I  have 
saved.  You,  father,  have  the  means  of  preserving  that  which 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN,  97 

with  me  would  perish  for  want.  The  warrior  is  poor,  and  his 
cabin  is  always  empty,  but  your  house,  father,  is  always  full." 

Heckewelder  highly  praised  this  speech,  concluding  his  en- 
comium as  follows  :  "  It  is  but  justice  here  to  say  that  Pipe  was 
well  acquainted  with  the  noble  and  generous  character  of  the 
British  officer  to  whom  this  speech  was  addressed.  He  is  ^still 
living  in  his  own  country,  an  honor  to  the  British  name.  He 
obeyed  the  orders  of  his  superiors,  in  employing  the  Indians  to 
fight  against  us,  but  he  did  it  with  reluctance  and  softened  as 
much  as  was  in  his  power  the  horrors  of  that  abominable  warfare. 
He  esteemed  Captain  Pipe,  and,  I  have  no  doubt,  was  well 
pleased  with  the  humane  conduct  of  this  Indian  chief,  whose 
sagacity  in  this  instance  is  no  less  deserving  of  praise  than  his 
eloquence." 

But  probably  the  roost  noted  specimen  of  Indian  eloquence 
is  that  of  Logan,  the  famous  Mingo  chief.  Jefferson,  in  his  notes 
on  Virginia,  published  the  facts  alluded  to  in  the  speech  of 
Logan.  Logan  was  one  of  the  most  noted  chiefs  in  Indian  story. 
His  name  is  still  perpetuated  among  the  Indians.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Cayuga  nation  of  the  League  of  the  Iroquois. 
For  magnanimity  in  war  and  greatness  of  soul  in  peace,  few,  if 
any,  in  any  nation  ever  surpassed  Logan.  He  took  no  part  in 
the  French  wars  which  ended  in  1760  save  that  of  peacemaker  ; 
was  always  acknowledged  the  friend  of  the  white  people  until 
the  year  1774,  when  his  entire  family  was  brutally  and  treacher- 
ously murdered  by  a  party  of  whites  under  command  of  Captain 
Michael  Cresap.  The  massacre  was  all  the  more  dastardly  and 
indefensible  because  it  had  no  provocation.  A  bitter  war 
followed  in  which  Logan  wreaked  his  vengeance  to  the  fullest 
extent.  A  treaty  of  peace  was  finally  concluded  in  a  conference 
which  resulted  in  said  treaty,  when  the  famous  speech  of  Logan 
was  made.  It  was  not  delivered  in  the  camp  of  Governor  Dun- 
more.  Although  desiring  peace,  Logan  would  not  meet  the 
whites  in  council,  but  remained  in  his  own  cabin  until  a  messen- 
ger was  sent  to  him  to  know  if  he  would  indorse  the  proposed 
treaty.  He  sent,  in  reply,  the  following  :  — 

"  I  appeal  to  any  white  to  say,  if  ever  he  entered  Logan's 
cabin  hungry,  and  he  gave  him  not  meat ;  if  ever  he  came  cold 
and  naked,  and  he  clothed  him  not. 


98  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

"  During  the  course  of  the  last  long  bloody  war,  Logan 
remained  idle  in  his  cabin,  an  advocate  for  peace.  Such  was  my 
love  for  the  whites,  that  my  countrymen  pointed  as  they  passed, 
and  said,  '  Logan  is  the  friend  of  white  men.' 

"  I  had  even  thought  to  have  lived  with  you,  but  for  the 
injuries  of  one  man.  Colonel  Cresap,  the  last  spring,  in  cold 
blood,  and  unprovoked,  murdered  all  the  relations  of  Logan  ; 
not  even  sparing  my  women  and  children. 

"  There  runs  not  a  drop  of  my  blood  in  the  veins  of  any  living 
creature.  This  called  on  me  for  revenge.  I  have  sought  it.  I 
have  killed  many.  I  have  fully  glutted  my  vengeance.  For  my 
country  I  rejoice  at  the  beams  of  peace.  But  do  not  harbor  a 
thought  that  mine  is  the  joy  of  fear.  Logan  never  felt  fear. 
He  will  not  turn  on  his  heel  to  save  his  life.  Who  is  there  to 
mourn  for  Logan  ?  Not  one  !  " 

The  writings  of  a  hundred  years  ago  abound  with  anecdotes 
illustrative  of  Indian  character.  Various  phases  are  shown  in 
the  following,  which  have  been  selected  from  a  large  number  of 
similar  import. 

Wit.  —  An  Ottaway  chief,  known  to  the  French  by  the 
name  of  Whitejohn,  was  a  great  drunkard.  Count  Frontenac 
asked  what  he  thought  brandy  to  be  made  of ;  he  replied,  that 
it  must  be  made  of  hearts  and  tongues — "For,"  said  he,  "when 
I  have  drunken  plentifully  of  it,  my  heart  is  a  thousand  strong, 
and  I  can  talk,  too,  with  astonishing  freedom  and  rapidity." 

Honor.  —  A  chief  of  the  Five  Nations,  who  fought  on  the 
side  of  the  English  in  the  French  wars,  chanced  to  meet  in 
battle  his  own  father,  who  was  fighting  on  the  side  of  the 
French.  Just  as  he  was  about  to  deal  a  deadly  blow  upon  his 
head,  he  discovered  who  he  was,  and  said  to  him,  "  You  have 
once  given  me  life,  and  now  I  give  it  to  you.  Let  me  meet  you 
no  more,  for  I  have  paid  the  debt  owed  you." 

Recklessness. —  In  Connecticut  River,  about  "200  miles  from 
Long  Island  Sound,  is  a  narrow  of  five  yards  only,  formed 
by  two  shelving  mountains  of  solid  rock.  Through  this  chasm 
are  compelled  to  pass  all  the  waters  which  in  the  time  of  the 
floods  bury  the  northern  country."  It  is  a  frightful  passage  of 
about  400  yards  in  length.  No  boat,  or,  as  an  author  expresses 
it,  "no  living  creature  was  ever  known  to  pass  through  this 


PRIMITIVE  RED   MEN. 


99 


narrow,  except  an  Indian  woman."  This  woman  had  under- 
taken to  cross  the  river  just  above,  and  although  she  had  the 
god  Bacchus  by  her  side,  yet  Neptune  prevailed  in  spite  of  their 
united  efforts,  and  the  canoe  was  hurried  down  the  frightful 
gulf.  While  this  woman  was  thus  hurrying  to  certain  destruc- 
tion, as  she  had  every  reason  to  expect,  she  seized  upon  her 
bottle  of  rum,  and  did  not  take  it  from  her  mouth  until  the  last 
drop  was  quaffed.  She  was  marvellously  preserved,  and  was 
actually  picked  up  several  miles  below,  floating  in  the  canoe, 
still  quite  drunk.  When  it  was  known  what  she  had  done,  and 
being  asked  how  she  dared  to  drink  so  much  rum  with  the 
prospect  of  certain  death  before  her,  she  answered  that  she 
knew  it  was  too  much  for  one  time  but  she  was  unwilling  that 
any  of  it  should  be  lost. 

Justice.  —  A  missionary,  residing  among  a  certain  tribe  of 
Indians,  was  one  day,  after  he  had  been  preaching  to  them, 
invited  by  their  chief  to  visit  his  wigwam.  After  having  been 
kindly  entertained,  and  being  about  to  depart,  the  chief  took 
him  by  the  hand,  and  said,  "  I  have  very  bad  squaw.  She  had 
two  little  children.  One  she  loved  well,  the  other  she  hated. 
In  a  cold  night,  when  I  was  gone  hunting  in  the  woods,  she 
shut  it  out  of  the  wigwam  and  it  froze  to  death.  What  must 
be  done  with  her  ? "  The  missionary  replied,  "  She  must  be 
hanged."  "Ah!"  said  the  chief,  "go,  then,  and  hang  your 
God,  whom  you  make  just  like  her." 

Magnanimity.  —  A  hunter,  in  his  wanderings  for  game,  fell 
among  the  back  settlements  of  Virginia,  and  by  reason  of  the 
inclemency  of  the  weather,  was  induced  to  seek  refuge  at  the 
house  of  a  planter,  whom  he  met  at  his  door.  Admission  was 
refused  him.  Being  both  hungry  and  thirsty,  he  asked  for  a 
morsel  of  bread  and  a  cup  of  water,  but  was  answered  in  every 
case,  "  No !  you  shall  have  nothing  here.  Get  you  gone,  you 
Indian  dog !  "  It  happened,  in  process  of  time,  that  this  same 
planter  lost  himself  in  the  woods,  and  after  a  fatiguing  day's 
travel,  he  came  to  an  Indian's  cabin,  into  which  he  was  wel- 
comed. On  inquiring  the  way,  and  the  distance  to  the  white 
settlements,  being  told  by  thq  Indian  that  he  could  not  go  in 
the  night,  and  being  kindly  offered  lodging  and  victuals,  he 
gladly  refreshed  and  reposed  himself  in  the  Indian's  cabin.  In 


100  IMPROVED   ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

the  morning  the  Indian  conducted  him  through  the  wilderness, 
agreeably  to  his  promise  the  night  before,  until  they  came  in 
sight  of  the  habitations  of  the  whites.  As  he  was  about  to  take 
his  leave  of  the  planter,  he  looked  him  full  in  the  face,  and  asked 
him  if  he  did  not  know  him.  Horror-struck  at  finding  himself 
thus  in  the  power  of  a  man  he  had  so  inhumanly  treated,  and 
dumb  with  shame  on  thinking  of  the  manner  it  was  requited,  he 
began  at  length  to  make  excuses,  and  beg  a  thousand  pardons, 
when  the  Indian  interrupted  him,  and  said,  "When  you  see  poor 
Indians  fainting  for  a  cup  of  cold  water,  don't  say  again,  'Get 
you  gone,  you  Indian  dog  ! ' '  He  then  dismissed  him  to  return 
to  his  friends.  The  author  adds,  "  It  is  not  difficult  to  say,  which 
of  these  two  had  the  best  claim  to  the  name  of  Christian." 

Deception.  -  -  The  captain  of  a  vessel,  having  a  desire  to 
make  a  present  to  a  lady  of  some  fine  oranges  which  he  had  just 
brought  from  "the  sugar  islands,"  gave  them  to  an  Indian  in  his 
employ  to  carry  to  her.  Lest  he  should  not  perform  the  office 
punctually,  he  wrote  a  letter  to  her,  to  be  taken  along  with  the 
present,  that  she  might  detect  the  bearer  if  he  should  fail  to 
deliver  the  whole  of  what  he  was  entrusted  with.  The  Indian, 
during  the  journey,  reflected  how  he  should  refresh  'himself 
with  the  oranges  and  not  be  found  out.  Not  having  any  appre- 
hension of  the  manner  of  communication  by  writing,  he  con- 
cluded that  it  was  only  necessary  to  keep  his  design  secret  from 
the  letter  itself,  supposing  that  would  tell  of  him  if  he  did  not. 
He  therefore  laid  it  upon  the  ground  and  rolled  a  large  stone 
upon  it,  and  retired  to  some  distance,  where  he  regaled  himself 
with  several  of  the  oranges,  and  then  proceeded  on  his  journey. 
On  delivering  the  remainder  and  the  letter  to  the  lady,  she 
asked  him  where  the  rest  of  the  oranges  were ;  he  said  he  had 
delivered  all.  She  told  him  that  the  letter  said  there  were 
several  more  sent,  to  which  he  answered  that  the  letter  lied, 
and  she  must  not  believe  it.  But  he  was  soon  confronted  in 
his  falsehood,  and  begging  forgiveness  of  the  offence,  was 
pardoned. 

Shrewdness.  —  As  Governor  Joseph  Dudley  of  Massachusetts 
was  superintending  some  of  his  workmen,  he  took  notice  of 
an  able-bodied  Indian,  who,  half-naked,  would  come  and  look 
on,  as  a  pastime,  to  see  his  men  work.  The  governor  took 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  IOI 

occasion  one  day  to  ask  him  why  he  did  not  work  and  get  some 
clothes  wherewith  to  cover  himself.  The  Indian  answered  by 
asking  him  why  he  did  not  work.  The  governor,  pointing  with 
his  finger  to  his  head,  said,  "  I  work  head  work,  and  so  have  no 
need  to  work  with  my  hands  as  you  should."  The  Indian  then 
said  he  would  work  if  any  one  would  employ  him.  The  gov- 
ernor said  he  wanted  a  calf  killed,  and  that,  if  he  would  go" and 
do  it,  he  would  give  him  a  shilling.  He  accepted  the  offer,  and 
went  immediately  and  killed  the  calf,  and  then  went  sauntering 
about  as  before.  The  governor,  on  observing  what  he  had  done, 
asked  him  why  he  did  not  dress  the  calf  before  he  left  it.  The 
Indian  answered,  "  No,  no,  Coponoh  ;  that  was  not  in  the  bar- 
gain ;  I  was  to  have  a  shilling  for  killing  him.  Am  he  no  dead, 
Coponoh  ? "  (governor).  The  governor,  seeing  himself  thus  out- 
witted, told  him  to  dress  it  and  he  would  give  him  another  shilling. 

This  done,  and  in  possession  of  two  shillings,  the  Indian 
goes  directly  to  a  grog-shop  for  rum.  After  a  short  stay,  he 
returned  to  the  governor  and  told  him  he  had  given  him  a  bad 
shilling  piece,  and  presented  a  brass  one  to  be  exchanged.  The 
governor,  thinking  possibly  it  might  have  been  the  case,  gave 
him  another.  It  was  not  long  before  he  returned  a  second 
time  with  another  brass  shilling  to  be  exchanged.  The  gov- 
ernor was  now  convinced  of  his  knavery,  but  not  caring  to 
make  words  at  the  time,  gave  him  another,  and  thus  the  fellow 
got  four  shillings  for  one. 

The  governor  determined  to  have  the  rogue  corrected  for  his 
abuse,  and,  meeting  with  him  soon  after,  told  him  he  must  take 
a  letter  to  Boston  for  him  and  gave  him  half  a  crown  for  the 
service.  The  letter  was  directed  to  the  keeper  of  bridewell, 
ordering  him  to  give  the  bearer  so  many  lashes,  but  mistrusting 
that  all  was  not  exactly  agreeable,  and  meeting  a  servant  of  the 
governor  on  the  road,  the  Indian  ordered  him,  in  the  name  of  his 
master,  to  carry  the  letter  immediately,  as  he  was  in  haste  to 
return.  The  consequence  was,  this  servant  got  egregiously 
whipped.  When  the  governor  learned  what  had  taken  place, 
he  felt  no  little  chagrin  at  being  thus  twice  outwitted  by  the 
Indian. 

He  did  not  see  the  fellow  for  some  time  after  this,  but  at 
length,  falling  in  with  him,  asked  him  by  what  means  he  had 


102  IMPROVED   ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

cheated  and  deceived  him  so  many  times.  Taking  the  governor 
again  in  his  own  play,  he  answered,  pointing  with  his  finger  to 
his  head,  "Head  work,  Coponoh,  head  work!"  The  governor 
was  so  well  pleased  that  he  forgave  the  whole  offence. 

Equality. — An  Indian  chief,  on  being  asked  whether  his 
people  were  free,  answered,  "  Why  not,  since  I  myself  am  free, 
although  their  king  ?  " 

Matrimony.  —  An  aged  Indian,  who  for  many  years  had 
spent  much  time  among  the  white  people,  both  in  Pennsylvania 
and  New  Jersey,  one  day,  about  the  year  1770,  observed  that 
the  Indians  had  not  only  a  much  easier  way  of  getting  a  wife 
than  the  whites,  but  also  a  more  certain  way  of  getting  a  good 
one.  "  For,"  said  he,  in  broken  English,  "  white  man  court  — 
court  —  may  be  one  whole  year  —  may  be  two  years  before  he 
marry  !  Well  —  maybe  then  he  get  very  good  wife  —  but  may- 
be not  —  maybe  very  cross  !  Well,  now  suppose  cross  !  scold 
so  soon  as  get  awake  in  the  morning  !  Scold  all  day  !  —  scold 
until  sleep  !  —  all  one  —  he  must  keep  him  !  —  White  people 
have  law  forbidding  throw  away  wife  he  be  ever  so  cross  — 
must  keep  him  always  .  Well,  how  does  Indian  do  ?  Indian, 
when  he  see  industrious  squaw,  he  go  to  him,  place  his  two 
fore-fingers  close  aside  each  other,  make  two  like  one  —  then 
look  squaw  in  the  face  —  see  him  smile  —  this  is  all  one  he  say 
yes !  —  so  he  take  him  home  —  no  danger  he  be  cross  !  No,  no 
—  squaw  know  too  well  what  Indian  do  if  he  cross  !  throw  him 
away  and  take  another  !  —  Squaw  love  to  eat  meat  —  no  hus- 
band —  no  meat.  Squaw  do  everything  to  please  husband,  he 
do  everything  to  please  squaw —  live  happy." 

Toleration.  —  In  the  year  1791,  two  Creek  chiefs  accompa- 
nied an  American  to  England,  where,  as  usual,  they  attracted 
great  attention,  and  many  flocked  around  them  as  well  to  learn 
their  ideas  of  certain  things  as  to  behold  "the  savages."  Being 
asked  their  opinion  of  religion,  or  of  what  religion  they  were, 
one  made  answer  that  they  had  no  priests  in  their  country,  or 
established  religion,  for  they  thought  that  upon  a  subject  where 
there  was  no  possibility  of  people's  agreeing,  and  as  it  was  alto- 
gether a  matter  of  mere  opinion,  "  it  was  best  that  every  one 
should  paddle  his  canoe  his  own  way."  Here  is  a  volume  of 
instruction  in  a  short  answer  of  a  savage  ! 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  103 

Justice.  —  A  white  trader  sold  a  quantity  of  powder  to  an 
Indian,  and  imposed  upon  him  by  making  him  believe  it  was  a 
grain  which  grew  like  wheat,  by  sowing  it  upon  the  ground. 
He  was  greatly  elated  by  the  prospect,  not  only  of  raising  his 
own  powder,  but  of  being  able  to  supply  others,  and  therefore 
becoming  immensely  rich.  Having  prepared  his  ground  wi£h 
great  care,  he  sowed  his  powder  with  the  utmost  exactness  in 
the  spring.  Month  after  month  passed  away,  but  his  powder 
did  not  even  sprout,  and  winter  came  before  he  was  satisfied 
that  he  had  been  deceived.  He  said  nothing,  but  some  time 
after,  when  the  trader  had  forgotten  the  trick,  the  same  Indian 
succeeded  in  getting  credit  of  him  to  a  large  amount.  The 
time  set  for  payment  having  expired,  he  sought  out  the  Indian 
at  his  residence  and  demanded  payment  for  his  goods.  The 
Indian  heard  his  demand  with  great  complaisance,  then  looking 
him  shrewdly  in  the  eye,  said,  "  Me  pay  you  when  my  powder 
grow."  This  was  enough.  The  guilty  white  man  quickly  re- 
traced his  steps,  satisfied,  we  apprehend,  to  balance  his  account 
with  the  chagrin  he  had  received. 

Preaching  against  Practice.  —  John  Simon  was  a  Sogko- 
nate,  who,  about  the  year  1700,  was  a  settled  minister  to  that 
tribe.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  mind,  generally  temperate,  but 
sometimes  remiss  in  the  latter  particular.  The  following  anec- 
dote is  told  as  characteristic  of  his  notions  of  justice.  Simon, 
on  account  of  his  deportment,  was  created  justice  of  the  peace, 
and  when  difficulties  occurred  inv<ylving  any  of  his  people,  he 
sat  with  the  English  justice  to  aid  in  making  up  judgment.  It 
happened  that  Simon's  squaw,  with  some  others,  had  committed 
some  offence.  Justices  Almy  and  Simon,  in  making  up  their 
minds,  estimated  the  amount  of  the  offence  differently.  'Almy 
thought  each  should  receive  eight  or  ten  stripes,  but  Simon 
said,  "No;  four  or  five  are  enough  —  Poor  Indians  are  ignorant, 
and  it  is  not  Christian-like  to  punish  so  hardly  those  who  are 
ignorant,  as  those  who  have  knowledge."  Simon's  judgment 
prevailed.  When  Mr.  Almy  asked  John  how  many  his  wife 
should  receive,  he  said,  "  Double,  because  she  had  knowledge  to 
have  done  better ;  "  but  Colonel  Almy,  out  of  regard  to  John's 
feelings,  wholly  remitted  his  wife's  punishment.  John  looked 
very  serious,  and  made  no  reply  while  in  presence  of  the  court, 


104  IMPROVED    ORDER   OF  RED  MEN. 

but  on  the  first  fit  opportunity  remonstrated  very  severely 
against  his  judgment  and  said  to  him,  "  To  what  purpose  do 
we  preach  a  religion  of  justice,  if  we  do  unrighteousness  in 
judgment  ? " 

Characters  contrasted.  —  An  Indian  of  the  Kennebeck  tribe, 
remarkable  for  his  good  conduct,  received  a  grant  of  land 
from  the  State,  and  fixed  himself  in  a  new  township  where  a 
number  of  families  were  settled.  Though  not  ill-treated,  yet 
the  common  prejudice  against  Indians  prevented  any  sympathy 
with  him.  This  was  shown  at  the  death  of  his  only  child,  when 
none  of  the  people  came  near  him.  Shortly  afterwards  he  went 
to  some  of  the  inhabitants  and  said  to  them,  "  When  white 
man's  child  die,  Indian  man  be  sorry  —  he  help  bury  him. 
When  my  child  die,  no  one  speak  to  me  —  I  make  his  grave 
alone.  I  can  no  live  here."  He  gave  up  his  farm,  dug  up  the 
body  of  his  child,  and  carried  it  with  him  200  miles  through  the 
forests,  to  join  the  Canada  Indians  ! 

A  Singular  Stratagem  to  escape  Torture.  —  Some  years  ago 
the  Shawano  Indians,  being  obliged  to  move  from  their  habi- 
tations, in  their  way  took  a  Muskohge  warrior,  known  by  the 
name  of  old  Scrany,  prisoner.  They  bastinadoed  him  severely, 
and  condemned  him  to  the  fiery  torture.  He  underwent  a 
great  deal  without  showing  any  concern.  His  countenance  and 
behavior  were  as  if  he  suffered  not  the  least  pain.  He  told  his 
persecutors,  with  a  bold  voice,  that  he  was  a  warrior  ;  that  he 
had  gained  most  of  his  martial  reputation  at  the  expense  of  the 
nation,  and  was  desirous  of  showing  them,  in  the  act  of  dying, 
that  he  was  still  as  much  their  superior  as  when  he  headed  his 
gallant  countrymen  ;  that,  although  he  had  fallen  into  their 
hands  and  forfeited  the  protection  of  the  divine  power  by  some 
impurity  or  other,  when  carrying  the  holy  ark  of  war  against 
his  devoted  enemies,  yet  he  had  so  much  remaining  virtue  as 
would  enable  him  to  punish  himself  more  exquisitely  than  all 
their  despicable,  ignorant  crowd  possibly  could,  and  that  he 
would  do  so,  if  they  gave  him  liberty  by  untying  him,  and  hand- 
ing him  one  of  tha  red-hot  gun-barrels  out  of  the  fire.  The 
proposal  and  his  method  of  address  appeared  so  exceedingly 
bold  and  uncommon  that  his  request  was  granted.  Then  sud- 
denly seizing  one  end  of  the  red-hot  barrel,  and  brandishing  it 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  105 

from  side  to  side,  he  leaped  down  a  prodigious  steep  and  high 
bank  into  a  branch  of  the  river,  dived  through  it,  ran  over  a 
small  island,  and  passed  the  other  branch,  amidst  a  shower  of 
bullets,  and  though  numbers  of  his  enemies  were  in  close  pur- 
suit of  him,  he  got  into  a  bramble  swamp,  through  which, 
though  naked,  and  in  a  mangled  condition,  he  reached  his  own 
country. 

An  Unparalleled  Case  of  Suffering.  —  The  Shawano  Indians 
captured  a  warrior  of  the  Anantoocah  nation  and,  put  him  to 
the  stake,  according  to  their  usual  cruel  solemnities.  Having 
unconcernedly  suffered  much  torture,  he  told  them  with  scorn 
that  they  did  not  know  how  to  punish  a  noted  enemy,  therefore 
he  was  willing  to  teach  them  and  would  confirm  the  truth  of 
his  assertion  if  they  allowed  him  the  opportunity.  Accordingly, 
he  requested  of  them  a  pipe  and  some  tobacco,  which  was  given 
him.  As  soon  as  he  had  lighted  it,  he  sat  down,  naked  as  he 
was,  on  the  women's  burning  torches,  that  were  within  his 
circle,  and  continued  smoking  his  pipe,  without  the  least  dis- 
composure. On  this,  a  head  warrior  leaped  up  and  said  they 
saw  plain  enough  that  he  was  a  warrior  and  not  afraid  of  dying, 
nor  should  he  have  died,  only  that  he  was  both  spoiled  by  the 
fire  and  devoted  to  it  by  their  laws  ;  however,  though  he  was  a 
very  dangerous  enemy,  and  his  nation  a  treacherous  people,  it 
should  be  seen  that  they  paid  a  reward  to  bravery,  even  in  one 
who  was  marked  with  war  streaks,  at  the  cost  of  many  of  the 
lives  of  their  beloved  kindred.  And  then  by  way  of  favor  he, 
with  his  friendly  tomahawk,  instantly  put  an  end  to  all  his 
pains. 

Their  Notions  of  Learning  of  the  Whites. — At  the  Congress 
at  Lancaster,  in  1744,  between  the  government  of  Virginia  and 
the  Five  Nations,  the  Indians  were  told  that,  if  they  would 
send  some  of  their  young  men  to  Virginia,  the  English  would 
give  them  an  education  at  their  college.  An  orator  replied  to 
this  offer  as  follows  :  "  We  know  that  you  highly  esteem  the 
kind  of  learning  taught  in  those  colleges,  and  that  the  mainte- 
nance of  our  young  men,  while  with  you,  would  be  very  expensive 
to  you.  We  are  convinced,  therefore,  that  you  mean  to  do  us 
good  by  your  proposal  and  we  thank  you  heartily.  But  you 
who  are  wise  must  know  that  different  nations  have  different 


106  IMPROVED   ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

conceptions  of  things,  and  you  will  therefore  not  take  it  amiss 
if  our  ideas  of  this  kind  of  education  happen  not  to  be  same 
with  yours.  We  have  had  some  experience  of  it.  Several  of 
our  young  people  were  formerly  brought  up  at  the  colleges  of 
the  northern  provinces  ;  they  were  instructed  in  all  your  sci- 
ences, but  when  they  came  back  to  us,  they  were  bad  runners  ; 
ignorant  of  every  means  of  living  in  the  woods  ;  unable  to  bear 
either  cold  or  hunger ;  knew  nothing  how  to  build  a  cabin,  take 
a  deer,  or  kill  an  enemy;  spoke  our  language  imperfectly ;  were, 
therefore,  neither  fit  for  hunters,  warriors,  nor  counsellors ;  they 
were  totally  good  for  nothing.  We  are,  however,  not  the  less 
obliged  by  your  kind  offer,  though  we  decline  accepting  it,  and 
to  show  our  grateful  sense  of  it,  if  the  gentlemen  of  Virginia 
will  send  us  a  dozen  of  their  sons,  we  will  take  great  care  of 
their  education,  instruct  them  in  all  we  know,  and  make  men 
of  them." 

Success  of  a  Missionary.  —  Those  who  have  attempted  to 
Christianize  the  Indians  complain  that  they  are  too  silent, 
and  that  their  taciturnity  was  the  greatest  difficulty  with  which 
they  have  to  contend.  Their  notions  of  propriety  upon  matters 
of  conversation  are  so  nice  that  they  deem  it  improper  in  the 
highest  degree  even  to  deny  or  contradict  anything  that  is  said, 
at  the  time,  and  hence  the  difficulty  of  knowing  what  effect 
anything  has  upon  their  minds  at  the  time  of  delivery.  In  this 
they  have  a  proper  advantage,  for  how  often  does  it  happen 
that  people  would  answer  very  differently  upon  a  matter  were 
they  to  consider  upon  it  but  a  short  time !  The  Indians  seldom 
answer  a  matter  of  importance  the  same  day,  lest,  in  so  doing, 
they  should  be  thought  to  have  treated  it  as  though  it  was  of 
small  consequence.  We  oftener  repent  of  a  hasty  decision  than 
that  we  have  lost  time  in  maturing  our  judgment.  Now  for  the 
anecdote,  which  is  as  follows  :  — 

A  Swedish  minister,  having  assembled  the  chiefs  of  the 
Susquehannah  Indians,  made  a  sermon  to  them,  acquainting 
them  with  the  principal  historical  facts  on  which  our  religion 
is  founded  ;  such  as  the  fall  of  our  first  parents  by  eating  an 
apple  ;  the  coming  of  Christ  to  repair  the  mischief  ;  his  miracles 
and  sufferings,  etc.  When  he  had  finished,  an  Indian  orator 
stood  up  to  thank  him.  "What  you  have  told  us,"  said  he,  "is 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  1 07 

all  very  good.  It  is  indeed  bad  to  eat  apples.  It  is  better  to 
make  them  all  into  cider.  We  are  very  much  obliged  by  your 
kindness  in  coming  so  far  to  tell  us  those  things  which  you  have 
heard  from  your  mothers." 

When  the  Indian  had  told  the  missionary  one  of  the  legends 
of  his  nation,  —  how  they  had  been  supplied  with  maize  or  cora,, 
beans,  and  tobacco,  —  he  treated  it  with  contempt,  and  said, 
"  What  I  delivered  to  you  were  sacred  truths ;  but  what  you 
tell  me  is  mere  fable,  fiction,  and  falsehood."  The  Indian  felt 
indignant,  and  replied,  "  My  brother,  it  seems  your  friends  have 
not  done  you  justice  in  your  education  ;  they  have  not  instructed 
you  in  the  rules  of  common  civility.  You  see  that  we,  who 
understand  and  practise  those  rules,  believe  all  your  stories. 
Why  do  you  refuse  to  believe  ours  ? " 

Curiosity. — When  any  of  the  Indians  come  into  our  towns, 
our  people  are  apt  to  crowd  round  them,  gaze  upon  them,  and 
incommode  them  where  they  desire  to  be  private.  This  they 
esteem  great  rudeness  and  the  effect  of  want  of  instructions  in 
the  rules  of  civility  and  good  manners.  "  We  have,"  say  they, 
"as  much  curiosity  as  you,  and  when  you  come  into  our  towns, 
we  wish  for  opportunities  of  looking  at  you  ;  but  for  this  pur- 
pose we  hide  ourselves  behind  bushes  where  you  are  to  pass, 
and  never  intrude  ourselves  into  your  company." 

Rules  of  Conversation.  —  The  business  of  the  women  is  to 
take  exact  notice  of  what  passes,  imprint  it  in  their  memories 
(for  they  have  no  writing),  and  communicate  it  to  their  children. 
They  are  the  records  of  the  council,  and  they  preserve  tradition 
of  the  stipulations  in  treaties  a  hundred  years  back,  which,  when 
we  compare  with  our  writings,  we  always  find  exact.  He  that 
would  speak  rises.  The  rest  observe  a  profound  silence.  When 
he  has  finished,  and  sits  down,  they  leave  him  five  or  six  min- 
utes to  recollect,  that,  if  he  has  omitted  anything  he  intended 
to  say,  or  has  anything  to  add,  he  may  rise  again  and  deliver  it. 
To  interrupt  another,  even  in  common  conversation,  is  reckoned 
highly  indecent. 

Lost  Confidence.  —  An  Indian  runner,  arriving  in  a  village 
of  his  countrymen,  requested  the  immediate  attendance  of  its 
inhabitants  in  council,  as  he  wanted  their  answer  to  important 
information.  The  people  accordingly  assembled,  but  when  the 


IOS  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

messenger  had,  with  great  anxiety,  delivered  his  message  and 
waited  for  an  answer,  none  was  given,  and  he  soon  observed 
that  he  was  likely  to  be  left  alone  in  his  place.  A  stranger 
present  asked  a  principal  chief  the  meaning  of  this  strange 
proceeding,  who  gave  this  answer,  "  He  once  told  us  a  lie." 

A  Serious  Question.  —  About  1794,  an  officer  presented  a 
western  chief  with  a  medal,  on  one  side  of  which  President 
Washington  was  represented  as  armed  with  a  sword,  and  on  the 
other  an  Indian  seen  in  the  act  of  burying  the  hatchet.  The 
chief  at  once  saw  the  wrong  done  his  countrymen,  and  very 
wisely  asked,  "  Why  does  not  the  President  bury  his  sword,  too  ? " 

Self-esteem.  —  A  white  man,  meeting  an  Indian,  accosted 
him  as  brother.  The  Red  Man,  with  a  great  expression  of 
meaning  in  his  countenance,  inquired  how  they  came  to  be 
brothers.  The  white  man  replied,  "  O,  by  the  way  of  Adam, 
I  suppose."  The  Indian  added,  "Me  thank  him  Great  Spirit 
we  no  nearer  brothers." 

A  Preacher  taken  at  his  Word.  —  A  certain  clergyman  had 
for  his  text  on  a  time,  "Vow  and  pay  unto  the  Lord  thy  vows." 
An  Indian  happened  to  be  present,  who  stepped  up  to  the 
priest  as  soon  as  he  had  finished,  and  said  to  him,  "  Now  me 
vow  me  go  home  with  you,  Mr.  Minister."  The  priest,  having 
no  language  of  evasion  at  command,  said,  "  You  must  go  then." 
When  he  had  arrived  at  the  home  of  the  minister,  the  Indian 
vowed  again,  saying,  "  Now  me  vow  me  have  supper."  When 
this  was  finished,  he  said,  "Me  vow  me  stay  all  night."  The 
priest,  by  this  time  thinking  himself  sufficiently  taxed,  replied, 
'"It  may  be  so,  but  I  vow  you  shall  go  in  the  morning."  The 
Indian,  judging  from  the' tone  of  his  host  that  more  vows  would 
be  useless,  departed  in  the  morning. 

A  Case  of  Signal  Barbarity.  —  It  is  related  by  Black  Hawk, 
in  his  life,  that  some  time  before  the  war  of  1812,  one  of  the 
Indians  had  killed  a  Frenchman  at  Prairie  du  Chien.  "The 
British  soon  after  took  him  prisoner,  and  said  they  would  shoot 
him  next  day.  His  family  were  encamped  a  short  distance 
below  the  mouth  of  the  Ouisconsin.  He  begged  permission 
to  go  and  see  them  that  night,  as  he  was  to  die  the  next  day. 
They  permitted  him  to  go,  after  promising  to  return  the  next 
morning  by  sunrise.  He  visited  his  family,  which  consisted  of 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  109 

a  wife  and  six  children.  I  cannot  describe  their  meeting  and 
parting  to  be  understood  by  the  whites,  as  it  appears  that  their 
feelings  are  acted  upon  by  certain  rules  laid  down  by  their 
preachers,  whilst  ours  are  governed  only  by  the  monitor  within 
us.  He  parted  from  his  wife  and  children,  hurried  through  the 
prairie  to  the  fort,  and  arrived  in  time.  The  soldiers  were  ready",* 
and  immediately  marched  out  and  shot  him  down." 

Mourning  Much  in  a  Short  Time.  —  A  young  widow,  whose 
husband  had  been  dead  about  eight  days,  was  hastening  to 
finish  her  grief,  in  order  that  she  might  be  married  to  a  young 
warrior.  She  was  determined,  therefore,  to  grieve  much  in  a 
short  time.  To  this  end  she  tore  her  hair,  drank  spirits,  and 
beat  her  breast,  to  make  the  tears  flow  abundantly,  by  which 
means,  on  the  evening  of  the  eighth  day,  she  was  ready  again 
to  marry,  having  grieved  sufficiently. 

How  to  evade  a  Hard  Question.  --  When  Mr.  Gist  went 
over  the  Alleghanies,  in  February,  1751,  on  a  tour  of  discovery 
for  the  Ohio  Company,  an  Indian,  who  spoke  good  English, 
came  to  him  and  said  that  their  great  man,  the  Beaver,  and 
Captain  Oppamyluah  (two  chiefs  of  the  Delawares),  desired  to 
know  where  the  Indian's  land  lay ;  for  the  French  claimed  all 
the  land  on  one  side  of  the  Ohio  River,  and  the  English  on  the 
other.  This  question  Mr.  Gist  found  it  hard  to  answer,  and  he 
evaded  it  by  saying  that  the  Indians  and  white  men  were  all 
subjects  to  the  same  king,  and  all  had  an  equal  privilege  of 
taking  up  and  possessing  the  land  in  conformity  with  the 
conditions  prescribed  by  the  king. 

Harmless  Deception.  —  In  a  time  of  Indian  troubles,  an  In- 
dian visited  the  house  of  Governor  Jenks  of  Rhode  Island, 
when  the  governor  took  occasion  to  request  him,  that,  if  any 
strange  Indian  should  come  to  his  wigwam  to  let  him  know  it, 
which  the  Indian  promised  to  do  ;  but  to  secure  his  fidelity,  the 
governor  told  him  that  when  he  should  give  him  such  informa- 
tion he  would  give  him  a  mug  of  flip.  Some  time  after  the 
Indian  came  again.  "  Well,  Mr.  Gobenor,  strange  Indian  come 
my  house  last  night  ! "  "  Ah,"  says  the  governor,  "  and  what 
did  he  say?"  "  He  no  speak,"  replied  the  Indian.  "What,  no 
speak  at  all?"  added  the  governor.  "No,  he  no  speak  at  all." 
"  That  certainly  looks  suspicious,"  said  his  excellency,  and  in- 


no  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

quired  if  he  were  still  there,  and  being  told  that  he  was, 
ordered  the  promised  mug  of  flip.  When  this  was  disposed 
of  and  the  Indian  was  about  to  depart,  he  mildly  said,  "Mr. 
Gobenor,  my  squaw  have  child  last  night."  And  thus  the  gov- 
ernor's alarm  was  suddenly  changed  into  disappointment,  and 
the  strange  Indian  into  a  new-born  papoose. 

Mammoth  Bones.  —  The  following  very  interesting  tradition 
concerning  these  bones  among  the  Indians,  will  always  be  read 
with  interest.  The  animal  to  which  they  belonged  they  called 
the  big  buffalo ;  and  on  the  early  maps  of  the  country  of  the 
Ohio,  we  see  marked,  "Elephants'  bones  said  to  be  found  here." 
They  were  for  some  time  by  many  supposed  to  have  been  the 
bones  of  that  animal,  but  they  are  pretty  generally  now  believed 
to  have  belonged  to  a  species  of  animal  long  since  extinct. 
They  have  been  found  in  various  parts  of  the  country,  but  in 
the  greatest  abundance  about  the  salt  licks  or  springs  in  Ken- 
tucky and  Ohio.  There  has  never  been  an  entire  skeleton 
found,  although  the  one  in  Peale's  Museum  in  Philadelphia, 
was  so  near  perfect,  that,  by  a  little  ingenuity  in  supplying  its 
defects  with  woodwork,  it  passed  extremely  well  for  such. 

The  tradition  of  the  Indians  concerning  this  animal  is,  that 
he  was  carnivorous,  and  existed  as  late  as  1780  in  the  northern 
parts  of  America.  Some  Delawares  in  the  time  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary War  visited  the  governor  of  Virginia  on  business,  which 
having  been  finished,  some  questions  were  put  to  them  concern- 
ing their  country,  and  especially  what  they  knew  or  had  heard 
respecting  the  animals  whose  bones  had  been  found  about  the 
salt  licks  on  the  Ohio  River.  "  The  chief  speaker,"  continues 
our  author,  Mr.  Jefferson,  "immediately  put  himself  into  an 
attitude  of  oratory,  and,  with  a  pomp  suited  to  what  he  con- 
ceived the  elevation  of  his  subject,"  began  and  repeated  as 
follows :  "  In  ancient  times,  a  herd  of  these  tremendous  animals 
came  to  the  Big-bone  Licks,  and  began  an  universal  destruction 
of  the  bear,  deer,  elks,  buffaloes  and  other  animals  which  had 
been  created  for  the  use  of  the  Indians.  The  great  man  above 
looking  down  and  seeing  this  was  so  enraged  that  he  seized  his 
lightning,  descended  to  the  earth,  and  seated  himself  on  a 
neighboring  mountain,  on  a  rock  of  which  his  seat  and  the  print 
of  his  feet  are  still  to  be  seen,  and  hurled  his  bolts  among  them 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  Ill 

till  the  whole  were  slaughtered,  except  the  big  bull,  who,  pre- 
senting his  forehead  to  the  shafts,  shook  them  off  as  they  fell  ; 
but  missing  one  at  length,  it  wounded  him  in  the  side ;  whereon, 
springing  around,  he  bounded  over  the  Ohio,  over  the  Wabash, 
the  Illinois,  and  finally  over  the  great  lakes,  where  he  is  living 
at  this  day." 

Such,  say  the  Indians,  is  the  account  handed  down  to  them 
from  their  ancestors,  and  they  could  furnish  no  other  infor- 
mation. 

Narrative  of  the  Captivity  and  Bold  Exploit  of  Hannah 
Duston.  —  The  relation  of  this  affair  forms  the  XXVth  article 
in  the  Decennium  Luctuosum  of  the  Magnalia  Christi  Ameri- 
cana, by  Dr.  Cotton  Mather,  and  is  one  of  the  best  written 
articles  from  his  pen.  At  its  head  is  this  significant  sentence, 
Dux  Fcemina  Facti. 

On  the  1 5th  of  March,  1697,  a  band  of  about  twenty  In- 
dians came  unexpectedly  upon  Haverhill,  in  Massachusetts, 
and  as  their  numbers  were  small,  they  made  their  attack  with 
the  swiftness  of  the  whirlwind,  and  as  suddenly  disappeared. 
The  war,  of  which  this  irruption  was  a  part,  had  continued 
nearly  ten  years,  and  soon  afterwards  it  came  to  a  close.  The 
house  which  this  party  of  Indians  had  singled  out  as  their  object 
of  attack,  belonged  to  one  Mr.  Thomas  Duston,  or  Dunstan,  in 
the  outskirts  of  the  town.  Mr.  Duston  was  at  work  at  some 
distance  from  his  house,  at  the  time,  and  whether  he  was 
alarmed  for  the  safety  of  his  family  by  the  shouts  of  the  In- 
dians, or  other  cause,  we  are  not  informed ;  but  he  seems  to 
have  arrived  there  time  enough  before  the  arrival  of  the  In- 
dians to  make  some  arrangements  for  the  preservation  of  his 
children  ;  but  his  wife,  who,  about  a  week  before,  had  been  con- 
fined by  a  child,  was  unable  to  rise  from  her  bed,  to  the  dis- 
traction of  her  agonized  husband.  No  time  was  to  be  lost ; 
Mr.  Duston  had  only  time  to  direct  his  children's  flight  (seven 
in  number),  the  extremes  of  whose  ages  were  two  and  seven- 
teen, and  the  Indians  were  upon  them.  With  his  gun,  the 
distressed  father  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  away  in  the 
direction  of  the  children,  whom  he  overtook  but  about  forty 
rods  from  the  house.  His  first  intention  was  to  take  up  one, 
if  possible,  and  escape  with  it.  He  had  no  sooner  overtaken 


112  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

them,  than  this  resolution  was  destroyed,  for  to  rescue  either 
to  the  exclusion  of  the  rest,  was  worse  than  death  itself  to  him. 
He  therefore  faced  about  and  met  the  enemy,  who  had  closely 
pursued  him.  Each  fired  upon  the  other  and  it  is  almost  a 
miracle  that  none  of  the  little  retreating  party  were  hurt.  The 
Indians  did  not  pursue  long,  from  fear  of  raising  the  neighbor- 
ing English  before  they  could  complete  their  object,  and  hence 
the  part  of  the  family  escaped  to  a  place  of  safety. 

We  are  now  to  enter  fully  into  the  relation  of  this  very  trag- 
edy. There  was  living  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Duston,  as  nurse, 
Mrs.  Mary  Neff,  a  widow,  whose  heroic  conduct  in  sharing  the 
fate  of  her  mistress,  when  escape  was  in  her  power,  will  always 
be  viewed  with  admiration.  The  Indians  were  now  in  the 
undisturbed  possession  of  the  house,  and  having  driven  the 
sick  woman  from  her  bed,  compelled  her  to  sit  quietly  in 
the  corner  of  the  fire-place  while  they  completed  the  pillage  of 
the  house.  This  business  being  finished,  it  was  set  on  fire,  and 
Mrs.  Duston,  who  before  considered  herself  unable  to  walk,  was 
at  the  approach  of  night  obliged  to  march  into  the  wilderness 
and  take  her  bed  upon  the  cold  ground.  Mrs.  Neff,  too  late, 
attempted  to  escape  with  the  infant  child,  but  was  intercepted, 
the  child  taken  from  her,  and  its  brains  beaten  out  against  a 
neighboring  apple  tree,  while  its  nurse  was  compelled  to  ac- 
company her  new  and  frightful  masters  also.  The  captives 
amounted  in  all  to  thirteen,  some  of  whom,  as  they  became 
unable  to  travel,  were  murdered  and  left  exposed  upon  the 
way.  Although  it  was  near  night  when  they  quitted  Haverhill, 
they  travelled,  as  they  judged,  twelve  miles  before  encamping; 
"and  then,"  says  Dr.  Mather,  "kept  up  with  their  new  masters 
in  a  long  travel  of  an  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  more  or  less, 
within  a  few  days  ensuing." 

After  journeying  awhile,  according  to  their  custom,  the 
Indians  divided  their  prisoners.  Mrs.  Duston,  Mrs.  Neff,  and 
a  boy  named  Samuel  Leonardson,  who  had  been  captivated  at 
Worcester,  about  eighteen  months  before,  fell  to  the  lot  of  an 
Indian  family  consisting  of  twelve  persons,  —  two  men,  three 
women,  and  seven  children.  These,  so  far  as  our  accounts  go, 
were  very  kind  to  their  prisoners,  but  told  them  there  was  one 
ceremony  which  they  could  not  avoid,  and  to  which  they  would, 


PRIMITIVE   RED   MEN.  113 

be  subjected  when  they  should  arrive  at  their  place  of  destina- 
tion, which  was,  to  run  the  gauntlet.  The  place  where  this  was 
to  be  performed  was  at  an  Indian  village  250  miles  from  Haver- 
hill,  according  to  the  reckoning  of  the  Indian.  In  their  mean- 
dering course  they  at  length  arrived  at  an  island  in  the  mourn 
of  Contookook  River,  about  six  miles  above  Concord,  in  New 
Hampshire.  Here  one  of  the  Indian  men  resided.  It  had 
been  determined  by  the  captives,  before  their  arrival  here,  that 
an  effort  should  be  made  to  free  themselves  from  their  wretched 
captivity,  and  not  only  to  gain  their  liberty,  but,  as  we  shall 
presently  see,  something  by  way  of  remuneration  from  those 
who  held  them  in  bondage.  The  heroine,  Duston,  had  resolved 
upon  the  first  opportunity  that  offered  any  chance  of  success, 
to  kill  her  captors  and  scalp  them,  and  to  return  home  with 
such  trophies  as  would  clearly  establish  her  reputation  for  hero- 
ism, as  well  as  insure  her  a  bounty  from  the  public.  She 
therefore  communicated  her  design  to  Mrs.  Neff  and  the  Eng- 
lish boy,  who,  it  would  seem,  readily  enough  agreed  to  it.  To 
the  art  of  killing  and  scalping  she  was  a  stranger,  and  that  there 
should  be  no  failure  in  the  business,  Mrs.  Duston  instructed  the 
boy,  who,  from  his  long  residence  with  them,  had  become  as  one 
of  the  Indians,  to  inquire  of  one  of  the  men  how  it  was  done. 
He  did  so,  and  the  Indian  showed  him,  without  mistrusting  the 
origin  of  the  inquiry.  It  was  now  March  31,  and  in  the  dead 
of  night  following,  this  bloody  tragedy  was  acted.  When  the 
Indians  were  in  the  most  sound  sleep  these  three  captives 
arose,  and  softly  arming  themselves  with  the  tomahawks  of 
their  masters,  allotted  the  number  each  should  kill,  and  so  truly 
did  they  direct  their  blows,  that  but  one  escaped  that  they 
designed  to  kill.  This  was  a  woman  whom  they  badly  wounded, 
and  one  boy  for  some  reason  they  did  not  wish  to  harm,  and 
accordingly  he  was  allowed  to  escape  unhurt.  Mrs.  Duston 
killed  her  master,  and  Leonardson  killed  the  man  who  had  so 
freely  told  him  but  one  day  before  where  to  deal  a  deadly  blow 
and  how  to  take  off  a  scalp. 

All  was  over  before  the  dawn  of  day,  and  all  things  were  got 
ready  for  leaving  this  place  of  blood.  All  the  boats  but  one 
were  scuttled,  to  prevent  being  pursued,  and,  with  what  provi- 
sions and  arms  the  Indian  camp  afforded,  they  embarked  on 


114  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

board  the  other,  and  slowly  and  silently  took  the  course  of  the 
Merrimack  River  for  their  homes,  where  they  all  soon  after 
arrived  without  accident. 

The  whole  country  was  astonished  at  the  relation  of  the  affair, 
the  truth  of  which  was  never  for  a  moment  doubted.  The 
ten  scalps  and  the  arms  of  the  Indians  were  evidences  not  to  be 
questioned,  and  the  general  court  gave  them  fifty  pounds  as 
a  reward,  and  numerous  other  gratuities  were  showered  upon 
them.  Colonel  Nicholson,  governor  of  Maryland,  hearing  of 
the  transaction,  sent  them  a  generous  present  also. 

Another  phase  of  Indian  peculiarity  needs  to  be  considered. 
We  have  alluded  to  the  fact  that  the  Indian  had  no  written 
records.  His  history  was  preserved  in  tradition  which  was 
handed  down  from  generation  to  generation,  having  been  orig- 
inally talked  into  their  wampum  belts,  and  placed  in  charge  of 
the  sachems  or  chiefs  selected  for  that  purpose,  whose  duty  it 
was  to  be  familiar  with  the  traditions  of  the  past  and  to  be  able 
at  proper  occasions  and  at  frequent  intervals  to  make  them 
known  to  the  nation  in  council.  Among  all  the  Indian  tribes 
the  custom  seems  to  have  prevailed  to  make  certain  records 
which  were  rudely  carved  on  rocks  or  drawn  upon  the  skins  of 
animals  which  had  been  prepared  for  that  purpose.  These  give 
to  us  the  "picture  writings"  of  the  Indians.  Brother  Frank  A. 
Bates  of  Lynn,  Mass.,  who  has  given  much  time  to  the  study 
and  translation  of  these  "picture  writings,"  furnishes  valuable 
information  in  relation  to  them,  and  to  him  we  are  indebted  for 
what  follows  :  — 

Man  in  his  primal  stage  had  no  thought  beyond  the  present 
means  of  sustaining  existence,  and  his  advance  toward  civiliza- 
tion was  recorded  by  the  improvements  in  his  implements  of 
daily  use.  The  first  evidence  of  this  advance  is  shown  in  an 
effort  towards  the  artistic,  in  an  endeavor  to  decorate  these 
implements  with  a  more  or  less  crude  portrayal  of  material 
objects.  When  he  has  reached  that  stage  in  which  he  attempts 
to  convey  his  thoughts  and  wishes  to  others,  he  does  so  either 
by  pantomimic  gesture  or  an  attempt  at  speaking,  and  a  spoken 
language  is  at  first  but  an  attempt  to  imitate  sounds  which  he 
hears  and  which  are  expressive  of  the  thought  which  he  desires 
to  disclose.  Soon  he  finds  the  necessity  of  leaving  this  expres- 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN. 


115 


sion  in  such  form  that  it  may  be  understood  when  he  is  not 
present  ;  or,  in  his  attempt  to  personally  convey  the  thought,  he 
makes  an  image  of  the  object  which  he  would  describe  and  sees 
the  value  of  this  method,  and  his  first  attempts  are  likewise 
portraitures  of  material  objects.  This  may  be  called  the  first 
stage  of  Pictography,  as,  for  instance,  the  name  ca-Jiawk  (Dela- 
ware for  goose)  would  be  an  imitation  of  the  sound  emitted  by 
the  bird  and  is  expressed  by  a  figure  of  the  bird  (Fig  i),  and  we 
see  that  a  slight  change  in  a  figure  makes  another  expression 
of  a  kindred  thought,  as  Fig.  2,  a  man,  is  by  an  extension  of 
the  body  lines  made  to  represent  a  woman  (Fig.  3),  a  fact  ap- 
parent to  all. 

The  sky  (Fig.  4)  is  a  curve  drawn  above,  which  is  the  way  it 
appears  to  his  untutored  mind,  and  rain  Would  be  drops  falling 


from  the  sky  (Fig.  5).     For  whatever  purpose  this  may  be  ex- 
tended does  not  now  concern  us. 

The  second  stage  would  be  reached  when  the  man  advanced  in 
intelligence  and  became  more  versed  in  the  use  of  these  figures. 
Then  he  would  commence  to  use  these  signs  as  symbols  of  some 
quality  or  characteristic,  as,  the  deer  would  be  emblematical  of 
speed,  and  might  be  taken  as  the  name-totem  of  a  swift  runner.* 

Or  a  winged  man  would  be  an  expression  of  a  deity,  as  the 
ability  to  fly  nearer  the  sun,  the  source  of  light  and  heat,  hence 
divine,  would  be  esteemed  as  a  divine  attribute. 

There  would  be  a  still  further  advance  when  the 
imagination  would  be  brought  in  play,  as  in  the  Ojib- 
way  figure  of  the  Great  Spirit  (Fig.  6)  which  signifies 
everywhere.  ^ 

*  (NOTE. —  An  Indian  child  is  first  named  from  whatever  incident  first 
attracts  the  attention  of  the  parent,  after  its  birth.  This  name  may  stick 
throughout,  or  it  may  be  changed  when  he  has  earned  a  name,  as  a  reward  for 
some  deed  of  valor.) 


Il6  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

The  flaunting  streamers  used  by  the  more  intelligent,  who 
became  the  medicine  men,  to  hold  the  admiration  and  hence 
the  respect  of  the  masses,  would  soon  become  a  signification  of 

"  Medicine,"   something   uncanny, 
hence  to  be  worshipped   (Fig.  7), 
~-    and  a  serpent,  debased  by  his  con- 
tact with  the  soil  and  deified  by 
reason  of  his  venomous  properties, 
_  would  be  a  fitting  emblem,  when 

••  joined  to  the  above,  of  "Bad  Medi- 

cine "  (Fig.  8). 

The  "  Medicine  Lodge  "  would  have  its  interior  screened  from 
the  vulgar  gaze  by  curtains,  and  soon  would  be  signified  as  in 
Fig.  9. 

Probably  many  of  the  old  carvings  were  idle  scrawls,  and 
others  commemorative  of  important  events,  as  a  time  of  famine 
or  of  plenty,  matters  which  touched  deeply  to  the  heart  of  the 
simple  son  of  the  forest. 

Plenty,  or  Sight,  would  be  a  dispensation  of  the  good  spirits, 
and  Famine,  Sickness,  or  Darkness  the  result  of  the  machina- 


9. 

tions  of  the  Evil  Spirit  or  great  serpent,  whose  fabulous  poisonous 
breath  parched  the  face  of  the  earth,  or  by  the  great  alligator,  a 
symbol  for  a  cold,  dark  desolation. 

Indians  were  very  ideal  and  superstitious,  and  attributed  many 
commonplace  events  to  the  powers  of  the  good  or  evil  spirits. 

Other  pictures  would  be  signboards  of  the  road  to  trails, 
camps,  or  springs,  or  warnings  for  the  benefit  of  travellers,  as  in 
Fig.  10,  which  was  drawn  at  the  entrance  of  a  rocky  trail  in 
Canon  de  Chilly,  New  Mexico.  It  signifies  "  Dangerous  Pass- 
ing" (a  goat  can  go  up,  but  a  horse  and  rider  would  fall).  If 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN. 


117 


these  figures  at  the  right  are  a  portion  of  the  inscription,  we 
might  read,  "  A  chief,  of  the  totem  of  the  Beaver  was  killed 
here,"  death  being  shown  by  the  reversal  of  the  name-totem. 
Others,  again,  would  be  records  of  deeds  of  great  chiefs,  or 
redoubtable  warriors,  engraved  at  their  graves  or  near  the  sce«e 
of  the  combat.  As  the  famous  Dighton  Rock  is  an  Algonquin 
pictograph  symbolic  of  some  great  event. 

Most  of  these  pictures,  although  crude,  are  correct  in  posture, 
and  a  knowledge  of  the  sign  language  would  explain  many 
drawings. 

Fig.  1 1  is  emblematic  of  war,  for  his  scalp-lock  is  in  position 
and  he  holds  the  bow  and  arrow  to  dare  any  one  to  come  and 
take  it. 

A  line  drawn  from  an  object  indicates  an  action,  as  Fig.  12  is 
indicative  of  sight.  Fig.  13  shows  the  scalp,  and  the  number  of 


lines  indicates  the  number  that  the  owner  bears.  Sometimes, 
when  robes  or  other  articles  were  used  as  a  ground  for  the  record, 
the  color  was  indicative  of  the  spirit  of  the  drawing,  and  some 
of  the  paint  on  the  faces  would  be  expressive  to  him  who  under- 
stood. 

Black  is  War,  or  Mourning.  White  is  Peace,  or  Medicine. 
Red  is  also  indicative  of  war,  or  passion,  and  is  much  affected 
by  the  young  bucks.  But  these  matters  change  in  different 
tribes. 

Some  tribes  keep  a  calendar  of  notable  events,  as  is  shown  by 
Fig.  14  from  the  Dakota  Calendar,  which  translated  reads,  "  In 
this  year  the  Uncpapas  (a  Sioux  tribe)  killed  two  Rees."  The 
murderer  is  black,  and  the  bow  above  shows  the  means  of  death. 
This,  of  course,  is  only  an  aid  to  the  memory  of  the  Medicine 


Il8  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Men  and  Chiefs.  And  so  this  might  be  carried  out  to  an  infinite 
end,  as  a  vocabulary  would  be  made. 

Even  at  this  late  date,  these  pictures  are  used  by  the  Indians, 
and  indeed  there  are  but  few  who  can  either  read  or  write  their 
own  language  in  the  sense  in  which  civilized  nations  use  the  term. 

As  a  further  example  of  Indian  picture  writing,  and  in  addition 
to  the  above  account  by  Brother  Bates,  we  give  copies  of  totems 
recorded  by  the  Indians  on  rocks  and  trees,  as  reproduced  by 
Catlin  in  his  description  of  the  northwestern  Indians  written 
in  1832.  It  will  be  remembered  that  each  of  these  totems  repre- 
sented the  symbolic  design  of  the  tribe  to  which  the  Indian  be- 
longed who  carved  it.  These  totems  were  very  plentiful  around 
the  red  pipe-stone  quarry,  from  which  was  obtained  the  material 
for  the  manufacture  of  their  pipes.,  These  totems  were  also 
found  in  the  picture  writings  upon  the  robes  worn  by  their 
leading  chiefs.  The  robe  was  elegantly  made,  and  the  wearer 
literally  carried  upon  his  back,  so  that  all  could  see,  the  history 
of  his  life  and  the  brave  deeds  which  he  had  accomplished. 

Among  the  fascinating  stories  by  J.  Fenimore  Cooper,  not 
the  least  is  that  entitled  "  Last  of  the  Mohicans,"  and  in  this  is 
given  an  incident  which  illustrated  the  preserving  power  of  the 
"totem"  of  the  Indian  among  the  people  of  his  own  tribe,  the 
universal  hospitality  of  the  Indian  race,  and  a  vivid  reference  to 
Tamina,  the  great  Indian  chief  selected  as  the  patron  saint  of 
America  by  the  Sons  of  Liberty,  as  elsewhere  related  fully  in  this 
history.  The  story  runs  as  follows :  The  Huron  chief,  Cun- 
ning Fox,  made  a  visit  to  a  tribe  of  the  Delawares  to  demand 
the  return  of  captives  who  had  escaped  from  the  Hurons,  and 
had  been  conveyed  to  the  Delaware  tribe.  The  Huron  made 
his  appearance,  and  when  in  full  view  of  the  Delawares  he 
stopped,  and  made  a  gesture  of  amity  by  throwing  his  arm 
upward  towards  heaven,  and  then  letting  it  fall  impressively  on 
his  breast.  He  was  encouraged  to  approach  by  similar  indica- 
tions of  friendship.  The  Huron  was  welcomed  by  a  chief  of  the 
Delawares,  and  after  exchanging  friendly  salutations,  the  Dela- 
ware invited  his  guest  to  enter  his  lodge  and  share  his  morning 
meal.  The  invitation  was  accepted,  and  preparations  were  made 
for  a  council,  all  understanding  that  some  important  business 
must  have  brought  the  Huron  to  the  Delawares.  Demand  was 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN. 


119 


Totems  of  the  North  American  Indians. 


120  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

made  for  the  return  of  the  captives,  one  of  whom  was  a  white 
woman  loved  by  the  Huron.  The  preliminary  council  was  short, 
and  the  demand  of  the  Huron  was  so  extraordinary,  that  a  solemn 
and  formal  assemblage  was  immediately  called  to  make  the  final 
decision.  Then  the  story  thus  proceeds  :  — 

"  It  might  have  been  half  an  hour  before  each  individual, 
including  even  the  women  and  children,  was  in  his  place.  The 
delay  had  been  created  by  the  grave  preparations  that  were 
deemed  necessary  to  so  solemn  and  unusual  a  conference.  But 
when  the  sun  was  seen  climbing  above  the  tops  of  that  moun- 
tain, against  whose  bosom  the  Delawares  had  constructed  their 
encampment,  most  were  seated ;  and  as  his  bright  rays  darted 
from  behind  the  outline  of  trees  that  fringed  the  eminence,  they 
fell  upon  as  grave,  as  attentive,  and  as  deeply  interested  a  mul- 
titude, as  was  probably  ever  before  lighted  by  his  morning  beams. 
Its  number  somewhat  exceeded  a  thousand  souls. 

"  In  a  collection  of  so  serious  savages,  there  is  never  to  be 
found  any  impatient  aspirant  after  premature  distinction,  stand- 
ing ready  to  move  his  auditors  to  some  hasty  and  perhaps  inju- 
dicious discussion,  in  order  that  his  own  reputation  may  be  the 
gainer.  An  act  of  so  much  precipitancy  and  presumption  would 
seal  the  downfall  of  precocious  intellect  forever.  It  rested  solely 
with  the  oldest  and  most  experienced  of  the  men  to  lay  the  sub- 
ject of  the  conference  before  the  people.  Until  such  a  one  chose 
to  make  some  movement,  no  deeds  in  arms,  no  natural  gifts,  nor 
any  renown  as  an  orator,  would  have  justified  the  slightest  inter- 
ruption. On  the  present  occasion,  the  aged  warrior  whose  priv- 
ilege it  was  to  speak,  was  silent,  seemingly  oppressed  with  the 
magnitude  of  his  subject.  The  delay  had  already  continued 
beyond  the  usual  deliberative  pause  that  always  precedes  such 
a  conference ;  but  no  sign  of  impatience  or  surprise  escaped 
even  the  youngest  boy.  Occasionally,  an  eye  was  raised  from 
the  earth,  where  the  looks  of  most  were  riveted,  and  strayed 
toward  a  particular  lodge,  that  was,  however,  in  no  manner 
distinguished  from  those  around  it,  except  in  the  peculiar  care 
that  had  been  taken  to  protect  it  against  the  assaults  of  the 
weather. 

"  At  length,  one  of  those  low  murmurs,  that  are  so  apt  to 
disturb  a  multitude,  was  heard,  and  the  whole  nation  arose  to 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  121 

their  feet  by  a  common  impulse.  At  that  the  door  of  the  lodge 
in  question  opened,  and  three  men  issuing  from  it,  slowly  ap- 
proached the  place  of  consultation.  They  were  all  aged,  even 
beyond  that  period  to  which  the  oldest  present  had  reached  ;  but 
one  in  the  centre,  who  leaned  on  his  companion  for  support,  had 
numbered  an  amount  of  years  to  which  the  human  race  is  seldom 
permitted  to  attain.  His  frame,  which  had  once  been  tall  and 
erect,  like  the  cedar,  was  now  bending  under  the  pressure  of 
more  than  a  century.  The  elastic,  light  step  of  an  Indian  was 
gone,  and  in  its  place  he  was  compelled  to  toil  his  tardy  way 
over  the  ground,  inch  by  inch.  His  dark,  wrinkled  countenance 
was  in  singular  and  wild  contrast  with  the  long,  white  locks  on 
his  shoulders,  in  such  thickness  as  to  announce  that  generations 
had  probably  passed  away  since  they  had  last  been  shorn. 

"The1  dress  of  this  patriarch  —  for  such,  considering  his  vast 
age,  in  conjunction  with  his  affinity  and  influence  with  his  people, 
he  might  very  properly  be  termed  —  was  rich  and  imposing, 
though  strictly  after  the  simple  fashion  of  the  tribe.  His  robe 
was  of  the  finest  skins,  which  had  been  deprived  of  their  fur,  in 
order  to  admit  of  a  hieroglyphical  representation  of  various 
deeds  in  arms  done  in  former  ages.  His  bosom  was  loaded 
with  medals,  some  in  massive  silver,  and  one  or  two  even  in 
gold,  the  gifts  of  various  Christian  potentates,  during  the  long 
period  of  his  life.  He  also  wore  armlets  and  cinctures  above 
the  ankles,  of  the  latter  precious  metal.  His  head,  on  the  whole 
of  which  the  hair  had  been  permitted  to  grow,  the  pursuits  of 
war  having  so  long  been  abandoned,  was  encircled  by  a  sort  of 
plated  diadem,  which,  in  its  turn,  bore  lesser  and  more  glitter- 
ing ornaments,  that  sparkled  amid  the  glossy  hues  of  three 
drooping  ostrich-feathers,  dyed  a  deep  black,  in  touching  con- 
trast to  the  color  of  his  snow-white  locks.  His  tomahawk  was 
nearly  hid  in  silver,  and  the  handle  of  his  knife  shone  like  a  horn 
of  solid  gold. 

"  So  soon  as  the  first  hum  of  emotion  and  pleasure,  which  the 
sudden  appearance  of  this  venerable  individual  created,  had  a 
little  subsided,  the  name  of  '  Tamenund '  was  whispered  from 
mouth  to  mouth.  Magua  had  often  heard  the  fame  of  this  wise 
and  just  Delaware;  a  reputation  that  even  proceeded  so  far  as 
to  bestow  on  him  the  rare  gift  of  holding  secret  communion 


122  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

with  the  Great  Spirit,  and  which  had  since  transmitted  his 
name,  with  some  slight  alteration,  to  the  white  usurpers  of  his 
ancient  territory,  as  the  imaginary  tutelar  saint  of  a  vast 
empire.  The  Huron  chief,  therefore,  stepped  eagerly  out  a 
little  from  the  throng,  to  a  spot  whence  he  might  catch  a  nearer 
glimpse  of  the  features  of  the  man  whose  decision  was  likely  to 
produce  so  deep  an  influence  on  his  own  fortunes. 

"  The  eyes  of  the  old  man  were  closed,  as  though  the  organs 
were  wearied  with  having  so  long  witnessed  the  selfish  workings 
of  the  human  passions.  The  color  of  his  skin  differed  from  that 
of  most  around  him,  being  richer  and  darker,  the  latter  hue 
having  been  produced  by  certain  delicate  and  mazy  lines  of 
complicated  and  yet  beautiful  figures  which  had  been  traced 
over  most  of  his  person  by  the  operation  of  tattooing.  Not- 
withstanding the  position  of  the  Huron,  he  passed  the  observant 
and  silent  Magua  without  notice,  and  leaning  on  his  two  vener- 
able supporters  proceeded  to  the  high  place  of  the  multitude, 
where  he  seated  himself  in  the  centre  of  the  nation,  with  the 
dignity  of  a  monarch  and  the  air  of  a  father. 

"Nothing  could  surpass  the  reverence  and  affection  with 
which  this  unexpected  visit,  from  one  who  belonged  rather  to 
another  world  than  this,  was  received  by  his  people.  After  a 
suitable  and  decent  pause,  the  principal  chiefs  arose,  and, 
approaching  the  patriarch,  they  placed  his  hands  reverently  on 
their  heads,  seeming  to  entreat  a  blessing.  The  younger  men 
were  content  with  touching  his  robe,  or  even  drawing  nigh  his 
person,  in  order  to  breathe  in  the  atmosphere  of  one  so  aged,  so 
just,  and  so  valiant.  None  but  the  most  distinguished  among 
the  youthful  warriors  even  presumed  so  far  as  to  perform  the 
latter  ceremony ;  the  great  mass  of  the  multitude  deeming  it  a 
sufficient  happiness  to  look  upon  a  form  so  deeply  venerated, 
and  so  well  beloved.  When  these  acts  of  affection  and  respect 
were  performed,  the  chiefs  drew  back  again  to  their  several 
places,  and  silence  reigned  in  the  whole  encampment. 

"After  a  short  delay,  a  few  of  the  young  men,  to  whom 
instructions  had  been  whispered  by  one  of  the  aged  attendants 
of  Tamenund,  arose,  left  the  crowd,  and  entered  the  lodge  which 
has  already  been  noted  as  the  object  of  so  much  attention 
throughout  the  morning.  In  a  few  minutes  they  reappeared, 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN. 


123 


escorting  the  individuals  who  had  caused  all  these  solemn  prep- 
arations toward  the  seat  of  judgment.  The  crowd  opened  in  a 
lane  ;  and  when  the  party  had  re-entered,  it  closed  again,  forming 
a  large  and  dense  belt  of  human  bodies,  arranged  in  an  open 
circle." 

The  council  having  been  formed  and  everything  being  ready, 
the  Huron  made  his  address  concluding  with  the  demand  for 
the  return  of  his  prisoners.  It  was  decided  that  the  white 
woman  was  the  captive  of  the  Huron.  The  aged  chief,  with 
exact,  justice,  gave  the  verdict,  "Justice  is  the  law  of  the  Great 
Manitto.  My  children  give  the  stranger  food. — Then  Huron 
take  thine  own  and  depart." 

The  captive  girl  made  an  appeal  to  the  aged  chief  without 
success.  She  then  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  another 
prisoner  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Delawares  and  asks  that  he  be 
heard.  Uncas,  the  chief  referred  to,  was  then  brought  forth, 
and  when  before  him,  the  aged  chief  demanded,  "  With  what 
tongue  does  the  prisoner  speak  to  the  Manitto."  Uncas  replied, 
"Like  his  fathers  with  the  tongue  of  the  Delaware."  Then 
followed  a  dialogue  between  Uncas  and  the  patriarch,  which 
was  ended  by  the  decision  of  the  chief  that  Uncas  should  be 
given  over  to  the  torture.  The  novelist  describes  the  rest  of 
the  remarkable  scene  in  the  following  vivid  language  :  — 

"  Not  a  limb  was  moved,  nor  was  a  breath  drawn  louder  and 
longer  than  common,  until  the  closing  syllable  of  this  final  decree 
had  passed  the  lips  of  Tamenund.  Then  a  cry  of  vengeance 
burst  at  once,  as  it  might  be,  from  the  united  lips  of  the  nation  ; 
a  frightful  augury  of  their  ruthless  intentions.  In  the  midst  of 
these  prolonged  and  savage  yells,  a  chief  proclaimed,  in  a  high 
voice,  that  the  captive  was  condemned  to  endure  the  dreadful 
trial  of  torture  by  fire.  The  circle  broke  its  order,  and  screams 
of  delight  mingled  with  the  bustle  and  tumult  of  preparation. 
Hey  ward  struggled  madly  with  his  captors  ;  the  anxious  eyes 
of  Hawk-eye  began  to  look  around  him,  with  an  expression  of 
peculiar  earnestness  ;  and  Cora  again  threw  herself  at  the  feet 
of  the  patriarch,  once  more  a  suppliant  for  mercy. 

"  Throughout  the  whole  of  these  trying  moments,  Uncas  had 
alone  preserved  his  serenity.  He  looked  upon  the  preparations 
with  a  steady  eye,  and  when  the  tormentors  came  to  seize  him, 


124  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

he  met  them  with  a  firm  and  upright  attitude.  One  among 
them,  if  possible,  more  fierce  and  savage  than  his  fellows,  seized 
the  hunting-shirt  of  the  young  warrior,  and  at  a  single  effort 
tore  it  from  his  body.  Then,  with  a  yell  of  frantic  pleasure,  he 
leaped  toward  his  unresisting  victim,  and  prepared  to  lead  him 
to  the  stake.  But,  at  that  moment,  when  he  'appeared  most  a 
stranger  to  the  feelings  of  humanity,  the  purpose  of  the  savage 
was  arrested  as  suddenly  as  if  a  supernatural  agency  had  inter- 
posed in  the  behalf  of  Uncas.  The  eyeballs  of  the  Delaware 
seemed  to  start  from  their  sockets  ;  his  mouth  opened,  and  his 
whole  form  became  frozen  in  an  attitude  of  amazement.  Rais- 
ing his  hand  with  a  slow  and  regulated  motion,  he  pointed  with 
a  finger  to  the  bosom  of  the  captive.  His  companions  crowded 
about  him  in  wonder,  and  every  eye  was,  like  his  own,  fastened 
intently  on  the  figure  of  a  small  tortoise,  beautifully  tattooed  on 
the  breast  of  the  prisoner,  in  a  bright  blue  tint. 

"  For  a  single  instant  Uncas  enjoyed  his  triumph,  smiling 
calmly  on  the  scene.  Then,  motioning  the  crowd  away  with  a 
high  and  haughty  sweep  of  his  arm,  he  advanced  in  front  of  the 
nation  with  the.  air  of  a  king,  and  spoke  in  a  voice  louder  than 
the  murmur  of  admiration  that  ran  through  the  multitude. 

"  '  Men  of  the  Lenni  Lenape,'  he  said,  '  my  race  upholds  the 
earth  !  Your  feeble  tribe  stands  on  my  shell !  What  fire  that 
a  Delaware  can  light  would  burn  the  child  of  my  fathers,'  he 
added,  pointing  proudly  to  the  simple  blazonry  on  his  skin  ; 
'  the  blood  that  came  from  such  a  stock  would  smoulder  your 
flames  !  My  race  is  the  grandfather  of  nations  ! ' 

"  '  Who  art  thou  ? '  demanded  Tamenund,  rising  at  the  start- 
ling tones  he  heard,  more  than  at  any  meaning  conveyed  by  the 
language  of  the  prisoner. 

"  '  Uncas,  the  son  of  Chingachgook,'  answered  the  captive 
modestly,  turning  from  the  nation,  and  bending  his  head  in 
reverence  to  the  other's  character  and  years  ;  '  a  son  of  the 
great  Unamis  (Turtle).'  ' 

Then  followed  the  triumph  of  Uncas.  All  the  captives  with 
the  exception  of  the  white  girl,  were  released,  and  such  was  the 
justice  of  the  Indian  race,  the  claim  of  the  Huron  for  her  return 
was  recognized,  and  he  was  allowed  to  depart  with  his  captive. 
He  departed  with  tauntings  which  were  received  in  silence  by 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  125 

the  Delawares.  As  long  as  their  enemy  and  his  victim  con- 
tinued in  sight,  the  multitude  remained  motionless ;  but  the  in- 
stant he  departed,  a  fierce  and  powerful  passion  seized  them. 
The  Huron  had  been  informed  that  after  a  limited  time  the 
Delawares  would  be  upon  his  trail,  and  within  the  next  hour 
the  preparation  for  the  engagement  upon  the  war-path  went 
busily  on. 

In  connection  with  what  has  been  given  in  another  part  of 
this  history,  of  the  manner  of  enlistment  for  the  war-path,  the 
description  of  the  scene  which  followed  is  worthy  of  reproduc- 
tion, told  as  it  is  in  language  at  once  fascinating  and  literally 
correct  in  its  description  of  this  ancient  custom  of  the  Aborig- 
ines. The  description  is  as  follows  :  — 

"  A  young  warrior  at  length  issued  from  the  lodge  of  Uncas, 
and  moving  deliberately,  with  a  sort  of  grave  march,  toward  a 
dwarf 'pine  that  grew  in  the  crevices  of  the  rocky  terrace,  he 
tore  the  bark  from  its  body,  and  then  returned  whence  he  came 
without  speaking.  He  was  soon  followed  by  another,  who 
stripped  the  sapling  of  its  branches,  leaving  it  a  naked  and 
blazed  trunk.  A  third  colored  the  post  with  stripes  of  a  dark 
red  paint ;  all  which  indications  of  a  hostile  design  in  the  lead- 
ers of  the  nation  were  received  by  the  men  without  in  a  gloomy 
and  ominous  silence.  Finally,  the  Mohican  himself  reappeared, 
divested  of  all  his  attire  except  his  girdle  and  leggings,  and 
with  one-half  of  his  fine  features  hid  under  a  cloud  of  threaten- 
ing black. 

"  Uncas  moved  with  a  slow  and  dignified  tread  toward  the 
post,  which  he  immediately  commenced  encircling  with  a  meas- 
ured step,  not  unlike  an  ancient  dance,  raising  his  voice  at  the 
same  time,  in  the  wild  and  irregular  chant  of  his  war-song. 
The  notes  were  in  the  extremes  of  human  sounds,  being  some- 
times melancholy  and  exquisitely  plaintive,  even  rivalling  the 
melody  of  birds  —  and  then  by  sudden  and  startling  transitions, 
causing  the  auditors  to  tremble  by  their  depth  and  energy.  The 
words  were  few  and  often  repeated,  proceeding  gradually  from 
a  sort  of  invocation,  or  hymn  to  the  Deity,  to  an  intimation  of 
the  warrior's  object,  and  terminating  as  they  commenced,  with 
an  acknowledgment  of  his  own  dependence  on  the  Great  Spirit. 
If  it  were  possible  to  translate  the  comprehensive  and  melodi- 


126  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

ous  language  in  which  he  spoke,  the  ode  might  read  something 
like  the  following  :  — 

'"Manitto!  Manitto!  Manitto! 

Thou  art  great,  thou  art  good,  thou  art  wise ; 
Manitto!  Manitto! 
Thou  art  just. 

"  '  In  the  heavens,  in  the  clouds,  oh!  I  see 
Many  spots  —  many  dark,  many  red ; 
In  the  heavens,  oh!  I  see 
Many  clouds. 

"  '  In  the  woods,  in  the  air,  oh!  I  hear 
The  whoop,  the  long  yell,  and  the  cry ; 
In  the  woods,  oh!  I  hear 
The  loud  whoop! 

"'Manitto!  Manitto!  Manitto! 

I  am  weak  —  thou  art  strong ;  I  am  slow  — 
Manitto!  Manitto! 
Give  me  aid.' 

"  At  the  end  of  what  might  be  called  each  verse  he  made  a 
pause,  by  raising  a  note  louder  and  longer  than  common,  that 
was  peculiarly  suited  to  the  sentiment  just  expressed.  The 
first  close  was  solemn,  and  intended  to  convey  the  idea  of  ven- 
eration ;  the  second,  descriptive,  bordering  on  the  alarming ; 
and  the  third  was  the  well-known  war-whoop,  which  burst  from 
the  lips  of  the  young  warrior,  like  a  combination  of  all  the 
frightful  sounds  of  battle.  The  last  was  like  the  first,  humble 
and  imploring.  Three  times  did  he  repeat  this  song,  and  as 
often  did  he  encircle  the  post  in  his  dance. 

"  At  the  close  of  the  first  turn,  a  grave  and  high-esteemed 
chief  of  the  Lenape  followed  his  example,  singing  words  of  his 
own,  however,  to  music  of  a  similar  character.  Warrior  after 
warrior  enlisted  in  the  dance,  until  all  of  any  renown  and  au- 
thority were  numbered  in  its  mazes.  The  spectacle  now  became 
wildly  terrific,  the  fierce-looking  and  menacing  visages  of  the 
chiefs  receiving  additional  power  from  the  appalling  strains  in 
which  they  mingled  their  gutteral  tones.  Just  then  Uncas 
struck  his  tomahawk  deep  into  the  'post,  and  raised  his  voice  in 
a  shout,  which  might  be  termed  his  own  battle-cry.  The  act 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  127 

announced  that  he  had  assumed  the  chief  authority  in  the  in- 
tended expedition. 

"  It  was  a  signal  that  awakened  all  the  slumbering  passions 
of  the  nation.  A  hundred  youths  who  had  hitherto  been  re- 
strained by  the  diffidence  of  their  years,  rushed  in  a  frantic 
body  on  the  fancied  emblem  of  their  enemy,  and  severed  it 
asunder,  splinter  by  splinter,  until  nothing  remained  of  the 
trunk  but  its  roots  in  the  earth.  During  this  moment  of 
tumult,  the  most  ruthless  deeds  of  war  were  performed  on  the 
fragments  of  the  tree,  with  as  much  apparent  ferocity  as  if  they 
were  the  living  victims  of  their  cruelty. 

"  Some  were  scalped  ;  some  received  the  keen  and  trembling 
axe ;  and  others  suffered  by  thrusts  from  the  fatal  knife.  In 
short,  the  manifestations  of  zeal  and  fierce  delight  were  so  great 
and  unequivocal,  that  the  expedition  was  declared  to  be  a  war 
of  the  nation. 

"The  instant  Uncas  had  struck  the  blow  he  moved  out  of 
the  circle  and  cast  his  eyes  up  to  the  sun,  which  was  just  gain- 
ing the  point,  when  the  truce  with  Magua  was  to  end.  The 
fact  was  soon  announced  by  a  significant  gesture,  accompanied 
by  a  corresponding  cry ;  and  the  whole  of  the  excited  multitude 
abandoned  their  mimic  warfare  with  shrill  yells  of  pleasure,  to 
prepare  for  the  more  hazardous  experiment  of  the  reality. 

"  The  whole  face  of  the  encampment  was  instantly  changed. 
The  warriors,  who  were  already  armed  and  painted,  became  as 
still  as  if  they  were  incapable  of  any  uncommon  burst  of  emo- 
tion. On  the  other  hand,  the  women  broke  out  of  the  lodges 
with  the  songs  of  joy  and  those  of  lamentation  so  strangely 
mingled,  that  it  might  have  been  difficult  to  have  said  which 
passion  predominated.  None,  however,  were  idle.  Some  bore 
their  choicest  articles,  others  their  young,  and  some  their  aged 
and  infirm,  into  the  forest,  which  spread  itself  like  a  verdant 
carpet  of  bright  green  against  the  side  of  the  mountain. 
Thither  Tamenund  also  retired  with  calm  composure,  after  a 
short  and  touching  interview  with  Uncas  ;  from  whom  the  sage 
separated  with  the  reluctance  that  a  parent  would  quit  a  long- 
lost  and  just-recovered  child." 

Probably  the  most  remarkable  specimen  of  this  picture  writ- 
ing and  also  of  the  elegant  dress  worn  by  these  Indians,  is 


128  IMPROVED   ORDER   OF  RED  MEN. 

given  in  Catlin's  description  of  the  costume  of  Mah-to-toh-pa,  a 
Mandan  chief.  The  description  is  as  follows  :  — 

"The  skirt  was  made  of  two  skins  of  the  mountain,  sheep, 
beautifully  dressed  and  sewed  together  by  seams  which  rested 
upon  the  arms ;  one  skin  hanging  in  front  upon  the  breast,  and 
the  other  falling  down  upon  the  back,  the  head  being  passed 
between  them  and  they  falling  over  and  resting  upon  the  shoul- 
ders. Across  each  shoulder  and  somewhat  in  the  form  of  an 
epaulette  was  a  beautiful  band,  and  down  each  arm  from  the 
neck  to  the  hand  was  a  similar  one  of  two  inches  in  width  (and 
crossing  each  other  at  right  angles  on  the  shoulder),  beautifully 
embroidered  with  porcupine  quills  worked  on  the  dress  and 
covering  the  seams.  To  the  lower  edge  of  these  bands  the 
whole  way,  at  intervals  of  half  an  inch  were  attached  long  locks 
of  black  hair,  which  he  had  taken  with  his  own  hand  from  the 
heads  of  his  enemies  whom  he  had  slain  in  battle,  and  which  he 
thus  wore  as  a  trophy  and  also  as  an  ornament  to  his  dress. 
The  front  and  back  of  the  skirt  were  curiously  garnished  in 
several  parts  with  porcupine  quills  and  paintings  of  the  battles 
he  had  fought,  and  also  with  representations  of  the  victims  that 
had  fallen  by  his  hand.  The  bottom  of  the  dress  was  bound 
or  hemmed  with  ermine  skins,  and  tassels  of  ermines'  tails  were 
suspended  from  the  arms  and  the  shoulders. 

"  The  leggings,  which  were  made  of  deer-skins,  beautifully 
dressed  and  fitting  tight  to  the  leg,  extended  from  the  feet  to 
the  hips,  and  were  fastened  to  a  belt  which  was  passed  around 
the  waist.  These,  like  the  skirt,  had  a  similar  band,  worked 
with  porcupine  quills  of  the  richest  dyes,  passing  down  the  seam 
on  the  outer  part  of  the  leg,  and  fringed  also  the  whole  length 
of  the  leg  with  the  scalp-locks  taken  from  his  enemies'  heads. 

"  The  moccasons  were  of  buckskin,  and  covered  in  almost 
every  part  with  the  beautiful  embroidery  of  porcupines'  quills. 

"  The  head-dress,  which  was  superb  and  truly  magnificent, 
consisted  of  a  crest  of  war-eagles'  quills,  gracefully  falling  back 
from  the  forehead  over  the  back  part  of  the  head,  and  extending 
quite  down  to  the  feet,  set  the  whole  way  in  a  profusion  of 
ermine,  and  surmounted  on  the  top  of  the  head  with  the  horns 
of  the  buffalo,  shaved  thin  and  highly  polished. 

"The  necklace  was  made  of  50  huge  claws  or  nails  of  the  griz- 


PRIMITIVE   RED  MEN.  129 

zly  bear,  ingeniously  arranged  on  the  skin  of  an  otter,  and  worn 
like  the  scalp-locks,  as  a  trophy,  and  as  an  evidence  unquestion- 
able that  he  had  contended  with  and  overcome  that  desperate 
enemy  in  open  combat. 

"  His  shield  was  made  of  the  hide  of  the  buffalo's  neck,  and 
hardened  with  the  glue  that  was  taken  from  its  hoofs  ;  its  boss 
was  the  skin  of  a  pole- cat,  and  its  edges  were  fringed  with  rows 
of  eagles'  quills  and  hoofs  of  the  antelope. 

"  His  bow  was  of  bone,  and  as  white  and  beautiful  as  ivory ; 
over  its  back  was  laid,  and  firmly  attached  to  it,  a  coating  of 
deers'  sinews,  which  gave  it  its  elasticity,  and,  of  course,  death 
to  all  that  stood  inimically  before  it.  Its  string  was  three- 
stranded  and  twisted  of  sinews,  which  many  a  time  had  twanged 
and  sent  the  whizzing  death  to  animal  and  to  human  victims. 

"  The  quiver  was  made  of  a  panther's  skin,  and  hung  upon  his 
back,  charged  with  its  deadly  arrows  ;  some  were  poisoned  and 
some  were  not ;  they  were  feathered  with  hawks'  and  eagles' 
quills ;  some  were  clean  and  innocent  and  pure,  and  others 
were  stained  all  over  with  animal  and  human  blood  that  was 
dried  upon  them.  Their  blades  or  points  were  of  flints,  and 
some  of  steel ;  and  altogether  were  a  deadly  magazine. 

"  The  lance  or  spear  was  held  in  his  left  hand ;  its  blade  was 
two-edged  and  of  polished  steel,  and  the  blood  of  several  human 
victims  was  seen  dried  upon  it,  one  over  the  other ;  its  shaft 
was  of  the  toughest  ash,  and  ornamented  at  intervals  with  tufts 
of  war-eagles'  quills. 

"  His  tobacco-sack  was  made  of  the  skin  of  an  otter,  and 
tastefully  garnished  with  quills  of  the  porcupine ;  in  it  was 
carried  his  k'nick-k'neck  (the  bark  of  the  red  willow,  which  is 
smoked  as  a  substance  for  tobacco)  ;  it  contained  also  his  flint 
and  steel,  and  spunk  for  lighting. 

"  His  pipe  which  was  ingeniously  carved  out  of  the  red  stea- 
tite (or  pipe-stone),  the  stem  of  which  was  three  feet  long  and 
two  inches  wide,  made  from  the  stalk  of  the  young  ash  ;  about 
half  its  length  was  wound  with  delicate  braids  of  the  porcu- 
pine's quills,  so  ingeniously  wrought  as  to  represent  figures  of 
men  and  animals  upon  it.  It  was  also  ornamented  with  the 
skins  and  beaks  of  woodpeckers'  heads,  and  the  hair  of  the  white 
buffalo's  tail.  The  lower  half  of  the  stem  was  painted  red,  and 


1 3o 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 


©^P83"^  -  ~-?>j 

"*^SBi 

jju-*-;-.^ 


^ 


-^f 


Robe  of  Mah-to-toh-pa,  a  Mandan  Chief. 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  131 

on  its  edges  it  bore  the  notches  he  had  recorded  for  the  snows 
(or  years)  of  his  life. 

"  His  robe  was  made  of  the  skin  of  a  young  buffalo  bull,  with 
the  fur  on  one  side,  and  the  other  finely  and  delicately  dressed, 
with  all  the  battles  of  his  life  emblazoned  on  it  by  his  own  hand. 

"His  belt,  which  was  of  a  substantial  piece  of  buckskin;  was 
firmly  girded  around  his  waist,  and  in  it  were  worn  his  tomahawk 
and  scalping-knife. 

"His  medicine-bag  was  the  skin  of  a  beaver,  curiously  orna- 
mented with  hawks'  bills  and  ermine.  It  was  held  in  his  right 
hand,  and  his  Po-ko-mo-kon  (or  war-club),  which  was  made  of  a 
round  stone,  tied  up  in  a  piece  of  rawhide,  and  attached  to  the 
end  of  a  stick,  somewhat  in  the  form  of  a  sling,  was  laid  with 
others  of  his  weapons  at  his  feet." 

The  robe  of  Mah-to-toh-pa  was  really  a  record  of  the  battles 
of  his  life,  and  besides  being  a  remarkable  specimen  of  Indian 
picture  writing,  is  worthy  of  more  extended  mention  as  typical 
of  the  records  preserved  by  Indian  chiefs  of  the  deeds  in  which 
they  had  been  prominent  personally.  The  interpretation  of  the 
various  incidents  recorded  on  the  robe  is  given  as  follows  :  — 

"  i.  Mah-to-toh-pa  kills  a  Sioux  chief.  The  three  heads  repre- 
sent the  three  Riccarees,  whom  the  Sioux  chief  had  previously 
killed.  The  Sioux  chief  is  seen  with  war-paint,  black  on  his 
face.  Mah-to-toh-pa  is  seen  with  the  scalp  of  the  Sioux  on  one 
hand,  and  his  knife  in  the  other,  with  his  bow  and  quiver  lying 
behind  him. 

"2.  A  Shienne  chief,  who  sent  word  to  Mah-to-toh-pa  that  he 
wished  to  fight  him,  was  killed  by  Mah-to-toh-pa  with  a  lance,  in 
presence  of  a  large  party  of  Mandans  and  Shiennes.  Mah-to- 
toh-pa  is  here  known  by  his  lance  with  eagles'  quills  on  it. 

"  3.  A  Shienne  killed  by  Mah-to-toh-pa  after  Mah-to-toh-pa 
had  been  left  by  his  party  badly  wounded  and  bleeding ;  the 
twenty-five  or  thirty  foot-tracks  around,  represent  the  number  of 
Shiennes  who  were  present  when  the  battle  took  place ;  and 
the  bullets  from  their  guns  represented  as  flying  all  around  the 
head  of  Mah-to-toh-pa. 

"  4.  Shienne  chief  with  war-eagle  head-dress,  and  a  beautiful 
shield  ornamented  with  eagles'  quills  killed  by  Mah-to-toh-pa. 
In  this  battle  the  wife  of  the  Shienne  rushed  forward  in  a  des- 


132  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

perate  manner  to  his  assistance,  but  arriving  too  late,  fell  a 
victim.  In  this  battle  Mah-to-toh-pa  obtained  two  scalps. 

"  5.  Mah-to-toh-pa,  with  a  party  of  Riccarees,  fired  at  by  a 
party  of  Sioux  ;  the  Riccarees  fled  —  Mah-to-toh-pa  dismounted 
and  drove  his  horse  back,  facing  the  enemy  alone,  and  killing  one 
of  them.  Mah-to-toh-pa  is  here  represented  with  a  beautiful  head- 
dress of  war-eagles'  quills,  and  one  on  his  horse's  head  of  equal 
beauty  ;  his  shield  is  on  his  arm,  and  the  party  of  Sioux  is  rep- 
resented in  front  of  him  by  the  number  of  horse-tracks. 

"6.  The  brother  of  Mah-to-toh-pa  killed  by  a  Riccaree,  who  shot 
him  with  an  arrow,  and  then  running  a  lance  through  his  body, 
left  it  there.  Mah-to-toh-pa  was  the  first  to  firrd  his  brother's 
body  with  the  lance  in  it  ;  he  drew  the  lance  from  the  body,  kept 
it  four  years  with  the  blood  dried  on  its  blade,  and  then,  according 
to  his  oath,  killed  the  same  Riccaree  with  the  same  lance ;  the 
dead  body  of  his  brother  is  here  seen  with  the  arrow  and  lance 
remaining  in  it,  and  the  tracks  of  the  Riccaree's  horses  in  front. 

"  The  following  was,  perhaps,  one  of  the  most  extraordinary 
exploits  of  this  remarkable  man's  life,  and  is  well  attested  by 
Mr.  Kipp  and  several  white  men,  who  were  living  in  the 
Mandan  village  at  the  time  of  its  occurrence.  In  a  skirmish 
near  the  Mandan  village,  when  they  were  set  upon  by  their 
enemies,  the  Riccarees,  the  brother  of  Mah-to-toh-pa  was  miss- 
ing for  several  days,  when  Mah-to-toh-pa  found  the  body  shock- 
ingly mangled,  and  a  handsome  spear  left  piercing  the  body 
through  the  heart.  The  spear  was  by  him  brought  into  the 
Mandan  village,  where  it  was  recognized  by  many  as  a  famous 
weapon  belonging  to  a  noted  brave  of  the  Riccarees,  by  the 
name  of  Won-ga-tap.  This  spear  was  brandished  through  the 
Mandan  village  by  Mah-to-toh-pa  (vyith  the.  blood  of  his  brother 
dried  on  its  blade),  crying  most  piteously,  and  swearing  that  he 
would  some  day  revenge  the  death  of  his  brother  with  the  same 
weapon. 

"  It  is  almost  an  incredible  fact,  that  he  kept  this  spear  with 
great  care  in  his  wigwam  for  the  space  of  four  years,  in  the  fruit- 
less expectation  of  an  opportunity  to  use  it  upon  the  breast  of  its 
owner  ;  when  his  indignant  soul,  impatient  of  further  delay,  burst 
forth  in  the  most  uncontrollable  frenzy  and  fury,  he  again 
•brandished  it  through  the  village,  and  said,  that  the  blood  of  his 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  133 

brother's  heart  which  was  seen  on  its  blade  was  yet  fresh  and 
called  loudly  for  revenge.  'Let  every  Mandan  '  (said  he)  'be 
silent,  and  let  no  one  sound  the  name  of  Mah-to-toh-pa  —  let  no 
one  ask  for  him,  nor  where  he  has  gone,  until  you  hear  him 
sound  the  war-cry  in  front  of  the  village,  when  he  will  enter  it 
and  show  you  the  blood  of  VVon-ga-tap.  The  blade  of  this  lance 
shall  drink  the  heart's  blood  of  Won-ga-tap,  or  Mah-to-toh-pa 
mingles  his  shadow  with  that  of  his  brother.' 

"With  this  he  sallied  forth  from  the  village,  and  over  the 
plains,  with  the  lance  in  his  hand  ;  his  direction  was  towards 
the  Riccaree  village,  and  all  eyes  were  upon  him,  though  hone 
dared  to  speak  till  he  disappeared  over  the  distant  grassy  bluff. 
He  travelled  the  distance  of  two  hundred  miles  entirely  alone, 
with  a  little  parched  corn  in  his  pouch,  making  his  marches  by 
night,  and  laying  secreted  by  days,  until  he  reached  the  Riccaree 
village,  where  (being  acquainted  with  its  shapes  and  its  habits, 
and  knowing  the  position  of  the  wigwam  of  his  doomed  enemy) 
he  loitered  about  in  disguise,  mingling  himself  in  the  obscure 
throng  ;•  and  at  last,  silently  and  alone,  observed  through  the 
rents  of  the  wigwam,  the  last  motions  and  movements  of  his 
victim  as  he  retired  to  bed  with  his  wife ;  he  saw  him  light  his 
last  pipe,  and  smoke  it  'to  its  end'  —  he  saw  the  last  whiff 
and  saw  the  last  curl  of  blue  smoke  that  faintly  steeped  from  its 
bowl  —  he  saw  the  village  awhile  in  darkness  and  silence,  and 
the  embers  that  were  covered  in  the  middle  of  the  wigwam  gone 
nearly  out,  and  the  last  flickering  light  which  had  been  gently 
playing  over  them,  when  he  walked  softly  but  not  slyly,  into  the 
wigwam  and  seated  himself  by  the  fire,  over  which  was  hanging 
a  large  pot  with  a  quantity  of  cooked  meat  remaining  in  it,  and 
by  the  side  of  the  fire,  the  pipe  and  tobacco-pouch  which  had 
just  been  used;  and  knowing  that  the  twilight  of  the  wigwam 
was  not  sufficient  to  disclose  the  features  of  his  face  to  his 
enemy,  he  very  deliberately  turned  to  the  pot  and  completely 
satiated  the  desperate  appetite,  which  he  had  got  in  a  journey  of 
six  or  seven  days  with  little  or  nothing  to  eat  ;  and  then  as  delib- 
erately charged  and  lighted  the  pipe,  and  sent  (no  doubt  in  every 
whiff  that  he  drew  through  its  stem)  a  prayer  to  the  Great  Spirit 
for  a  moment  longer  for  the  consummation  of  his  design.  Whilst 
eating  and  drinking,  the  wife  of  his  victim,  while  lying  in  bed, 


134  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

several  times  inquired  of  her  husband,  what  man  it  was  who  was 
eating  in  their  lodge  ?  to  which,  he  as  many  times  replied,  '  it's 
no  matter;  let  him  eat,  for  he  is  probably  hungry.' 

"  Mah-to-toh-pa  knew  full  well  that  his  appearance  would 
cause  no  other  reply  than  this,  from  the  dignitary  of  the  nation, 
for,  from  an  invariable  custom  amongst  these  Northern  Indians, 
any  one  who  is  hungry  is  allowed  to  walk  into  any  man's  lodge 
and  eat.  Whilst  smoking  his  last  gentle  and  tremulous  whiffs 
on  the  pipe,  Mah-to-toh-pa  (leaning  back,  and  turning  gradually 
on  his  side,  to  get  a  better  view  of  the  position  of  his  enemy, 
and  to  see  a  little  more  distinctly  the  shapes  of  things)  stirred 
the  embers  with  his  toes  (readers,  every  word  of  this  was  from 
his  own  lips,  and  every  attitude  and  gesture  acted  out  with  his 
own  limbs),  until  he  saw  his  way  was  clear ;  at  which  moment, 
with  his  lance  in  his  hands,  he  rose  and  drove  it  through  the 
body  of  his  enemy,  and  snatching  the  scalp  from  his  head,  he 
darted  from  the  lodge,  and  quick  as  lightning,  with  the  lance  in 
one  hand  and  the  scalp  in  the  other,  made  his  way  to  the  prairie. 
The  village  was  in  an  uproar,  but  he  was  off,  and  no  one  knew 
the  enemy  who  had  struck  the  blow.  Mah-to-toh-pa  ran  all 
night,  and  lay  close  during  the  days,  thanking  the  Great  Spirit 
for  strengthening  his  heart  and  his  arm  for  this  noble  revenge, 
and  prayed  fervently  for  a  continuance  of  his  aid  and  protection 
till  he  should  get  back  to  his  own  village.  His  prayers  were 
heard,  and  on  the  sixth  morning,  at  sunrise,  Mah-to-toh-pa 
descended  the  bluffs,  and  entered  the  village  amidst  deafening 
shouts  of  applause,  while  he  brandished  and  showed  to  his 
people  the  blade  of  his  lance,  with  the  blood  of  his  victim  dried 
upon  it,  over  that  of  his  brother,  and  the  scalp  of  Won-ga-tap 
suspended  from  its  handle. 

"  7.  Riccaree  killed  by  Mah-to-toh-pa  in  revenge  of  the  death 
of  a  white  man  killed  by  a  Riccaree  in  the  fur-traders'  fort,  a 
short  time  previous. 

"  8.  Mah-to-toh-pa,  or  four  bears,  kills  a  Shienne  chief,  who 
challenged  him  to  single  combat,  in  presence  of  the  two  war 
parties.  They  fought  on  horseback  with  guns,  until  Mah-to- 
toh-pa's  powder-horn  was  shot  away  ;  they  then  fought  with 
bows  and  arrows,  until  their  quivers  were  emptied,  when  they 
dismounted  and  fought  single-handed.  The  Shienne  drew  his 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  135 

knife,  and  Mah-to-toh-pa  had  left  his  ;  they  struggled  for  the 
knife,  which  Mah-to-toh-pa  wrested  from  the  Shienne  and  killed 
him  with  it.  In  the  struggle  the  blade  of  the  knife  was  several 
times  drawn  through  the  hand  of  Mah-to-toh-pa,  and  the  blood  is 
seen  running  from  the  wound. 

"  This  extraordinary  occurrence  also  was  one  which  admits 
of,  and  deserves,  a  more  elaborate  description,  which  will  here 
be  given  as  it  was  translated  from  his  own  lips,  while  he  sat 
upon  the  robe,  pointing  to  his  painting  of  it,  and  at  the  same 
time  brandishing  the  identical  knife,  which  he  drew  from  his 
belt,  as  he  was  showing  how  the  fatal  blow  was  given,  aYid 
exhibiting  the  wounds  inflicted  in  his  hand,  as  the  blade  of  the 
knife  was  several  times  drawn  through  it  before  he  wrested  it 
from  his  antagonist. 

"A  party  of  about  150  Shienne  warriors  had  made  an  assault 
upon  the  Mandan  village,  at  an  early  hour  in  the  morning,  and 
driven  off  a  considerable  number  of  horses,  and  taken  one  scalp. 
Mah-to-toh-pa,  who  was  then  a  young  man,  but  famed  as  one  of 
the  most  valiant-  of  the  Mandans,  took  the  lead  of  a  party  of 
fifty  warriors,  all  he  could  at  that  time  muster,  and  went  in  pur- 
suit of  the  enemy.  About  noon  of  the  second  day  they  came  in 
sight  of  the  Shiennes,  and  the  Mandans,  seeing  their  enemy 
much  more  numerous  than  they  had  expected,  were  generally 
disposed  to  turn  about  and  return  without  attacking  them. 
They  started  to  go  back,  when  Mah-to-toh-pa  galloped  out  in 
front  upon  the  prairie,  and  plunged  his  lance  into  the  ground  ; 
the  blade  was  driven  into  the  earth  to  its  hilt.  He  made  another 
circuit  round,  and  in  that  circuit  tore  from  his  breast  his  red- 
dened sash,  which  he  hung  upon  its  handle  as  a  flag,  calling  out 
to  the  Mandans,  '  What !  have  we  come  to  this  ?  We  have 
dogged  our  enemy  two  days,  and  now  when  we  have  found  them, 
are  we  to  turn  about  and  go  back  like  cowards  ?  Mah-to-toh- 
pa's  lance,  which  is  red  with  the  blood  of  brave  men,  has  led 
you  to  the  sight  of  your  enemy,  and  you  have  followed  it ;  it  now 
stands  firm  in  the  ground,  where  the  earth  will  drink  the  blood 
of  Mah-to-toh-pa.  You  may  all  go  back,  and  Mah-to-toh-pa  will 
fight  them  alone! ' 

"  During  this  manoeuvre,  the  Shiennes,  who  had  discovered 
the  Mandans  behind  them,  had  turned  about  and  were  gradually 


136  IMPROVED    ORDER   OF  RED  MEN. 

approaching,  in  order  to  give  them  battle.  The  chief  of  the 
Shienne  war-party,  seeing  and  understanding  the  difficulty,  and 
admiring  the  gallant  conduct  of  Mah-to-toh-pa,  galloped  his 
horse  forward  within  hailing  distance,  in  front  of  the  Mandans, 
and  called  out  to  know,  'who  he  was  who  had  stuck  his  lance 
and  defied  the  whole  enemy  alone.' 

" '  I  am  Mah-to-toh-pa,  second  in  command  of  the  brave  and 
valiant  Mandans.' 

"  '  I  have  heard  often  of  Mah-to-toh-pa  ;  he  is  a  great  warrior. 
Dares  Mah-to-toh-pa  to  come  forward  and  fight  this  battle  with 
me  alone,  and  our  warriors  will  look  on  ? ' 

"  '  Is  he  a  chief  who  speaks  to  Mah-to-toh-pa  ? ' 

" '  My  scalps  you  see  hanging  to  my  horse's  bits,  and  here  is 
my  lance  with  the  ermine  skins  and  war-eagle's  tail.' 

"  '  You  have  said  enough.' 

"  The  Shienne  chief  made  a  circuit  or  two  at  full  gallop  on  a 
beautiful  white  horse,  when  he  struck  his  lance  into  the  ground, 
and  left  it  standing  by  the  side  of  the  lance  of  Mah-to-toh-pa, 
both  of  which  were  waving  together  their  little  red  flags,  tokens 
of  blood  and  defiance. 

"  The  two  parties  then  drew  nearer  on  a  beautiful  prairie,  and 
the  full-plumed  chiefs,  at  full  speed,  drove  furiously  upon  each 
other,  both  firing  their  guns  at  the  same  moment.  They  passed 
each  other  a  little  distance  and  wheeled,  when  Mah-to-toh-pa 
drew  off  his  powder-horn,  and  by  holding  it  up,  showed  his 
adversary  that  the  bullet  had  shattered  it  to  pieces,  and  destroyed 
his  ammunition.  He  then  threw  it  from  him,  and  his  gun  also, 
drew  his  bow  from  his  quiver  and  an  arrow,  and  his  shield  upon 
his  left  arm.  The  Shienne  instantly  did  the  same  ;  his  horn  was 
thrown  off,  and  his  gun  was  thrown  into  the  air;  his  shield  was 
balanced  on  his  arm,  his  bow  drawn,  and  quick  as  lightning  they 
were  both  on  the  wing  for  a  deadly  combat.  Like  two  soaring 
eagles  in  the  open  air  they  made  their  circuits  round,  and  the 
twangs  of  their  sinewy  bows  were  heard  and  the  war-whoop  as 
they  dashed  by  each  other  parrying  off  the  whizzing  arrows  with 
their  shields.  Some  lodged  in  their  legs  and  others  in  their 
arms,  but  both  protected  their  bodies  with  their  bucklers  of 
bull's  hide.  Deadly  and  many  were  the  shafts  that  fled  from 
their  murderous  bows.  At  length  the  horse  of  Mah-to-toh-pa 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  137 

fell  to  the  ground  with  an  arrow  in  his  heart.  His  rider  sprang 
upon  his  feet,  prepared  to  renew  the  combat  ;  but  the  Shienne, 
seeing  his  adversary  dismounted,  sprang  from  his  horse,  and 
driving  him  back,  presented  the  face  of  his  shield  toward  his 
enemy  inviting  him  to  come  on.  A  few  shots  more  were 
exchanged  thus,  when  the  Shienne,  having  discharged  all  his 
arrows,  held  up  his  empty  quiver,  and  clashing  it  furiously  to  the 
ground,  with  his  bow  and  his  shield,  drew  and  brandished  his 
naked  knife. 

"  '  Yes,'  said  Mah-to-toh-pa,  as  he  threw  his  shield  and  quiver 
to  the  earth,  and  was  rushing  up.  He  grasped  for  his  knife,  but 
his  belt  had  it  not ;  he  had  left  it  at  home.  His  bow  was  in  his 
hand,  with  which  he  parried  his  antagonist's  blow,  and  felled 
him  to  the  ground.  A  desperate  struggle  now  ensued  for  the 
knife ;  the  blade  of  it  was  several  times  drawn  through  the  right 
hand  of  Mah-to-toh-pa,  inflicting  the  most  frightful  wounds, 
while  he  was  severely  wounded  in  several  parts  of  the  body. 
He  at  length  succeeded,  however,  in  wresting  it  from  his 
adversary's  hand,  and  plunged  it  in  his  heart. 

"  By  this  time  the  two  parties  had  drawn  up  in  close  view  of 
each  other,  and  at  the  close  of  the  battle  Mah-to-toh-pa  held  up, 
and  claimed  in  deadly  silence,  the  knife  and  scalp  of  the  noble 
Shienne  chief. 

"9.  Several  hundred  Minatarrees  and  Mandans  attacked  by 
a  party  of  Assinneboins  all  fled  but  Mah-to-toh-pa,  who  stood 
his  ground,  fired,  and  killed  one  of  the  enemy,  putting  the  rest 
of  them  to  flight,  and  driving  off  sixty  horses.  He  is  here  seen 
with  his  lance  and  shield,  foot-tracks  of  his  enemy  in  front, 
and  his  own  party's  horse-tracks  behind  him  and  a  shower  of 
bullets  flying  around  his  head.  Here  he  got  the  name  of 
'  The  Four  Bears,'  as  the  Assinneboins  said  he  rushed  on  like 
four  bears. 

"  10.  Mah-to-toh-pa  gets  from  his  horse  and  kills  two  Ojib- 
beway  women,  and  takes  their  scalps ;  done  by  the  side  of  an 
Ojibbeway  village,  where  they  went  to  the  river  for  water.  He 
is  here  seen  with  his  lance  in  one  hand  and  his  knife  in  the 
other,  an  eagle's-plume  head-dress  on  his  horse,  and  his  shield 
left  on  his  horse's  back.  His  ill-will  was  incurred  for  awhile 
by  asking  him  whether  it  was  manly  to  boast  of  taking  the 


138  IMPROVED   ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

scalps  of  women,  and  his  pride  prevented  him  from  giving  any 
explanation  or  apology.  The  interpreter,  however,  explained 
that  he  had  secreted  himself  in  the  most  daring  manner,  in  full 
sight  of  the  Ojibbeway  village,  seeking  to  revenge  a  murder, 
where  he  remained  six  days  without  sustenance,  and  then 
killed  the  two  women  in  full  view  of  the  tribe  and  made  his 
escape,  which  entitled  him  to  the  credit  of  a  victory,  though 
his  victims  were  women. 

"ii.  A  large  party  of  Assinneboins  intrenched  near  the 
Mandan  village,  attacked  by  the  Mandans  and  Minatarrees,  who 
were  driven  back,  Mah-to-toh-pa  rushes  into  the  intrenchment 
alone.  An  Indian  fires  at  him  and  burns  his  face  with  the 
muzzle  of  his  gun,  which  burst ;  the  Indian  retreats  leaving 
his  exploded  gun,  and  Mah-to-tph-pa  shoots  him  through  the 
shoulder  as  he  runs,  and  kills  him  with  his  tomahawk.  The 
gun  of  the  Assinneboin  is  seen  falling  to  the  ground,  and  in 
front  of  him  the  heads  of  the  Assinneboins  in  the  intrench- 
ment ;  the  horse  of  Mah-to-toh-pa  is  seen  behind  him. 

"12.  Mah-to-toh-pa  between  his  enemy,  the  Sioux,  and  his 
own  people,  with  an  arrow  shot  through  him,  after  standing 
the  fire  of  the  Sioux  for  a  long  time  alone.  In  this  battle  he 
took  no  scalps,  yet  his  valor  was  so  extraordinary  that  the 
chiefs  and  braves  awarded  him  the  honor  of  a  victory. 

"This  feat  is  seen  in  the  centre  of  the  robe.  Head-dress  of 
war-eagles'  quills  on  his  own  and  his  horse's  head ;  the  tracks  of 
his  enemies'  horses  are  seen  in  front  of  him,  and  bullets  flying 
both  ways  all  around  him.  With  his  whip  in  his  hand  he  is 
seen  urging  his  horse  forward,  and  an  arrow  is  seen  flying  and 
bloody,  as  it  has  passed  through  his  body.  For  this  wound, 
and  the  several  others  mentioned  above,  he  bears  the  honorable 
scars  on  his  body,  which  he  generally  keeps  covered  with  red 
paint." 

The  material  from  which  this  chapter  thus  far  has  been 
taken,  relates  almost  exclusively  to  the  Indians  composing  the 
New  England  tribes  and  those  tribes  and  nations  living  east  of 
the  Mississippi  River  comprised  in  the  League  of  the  Iroquois. 
The  record  given  by  Catlin  of  his  travels  among  the  Indians  of 
the  northwest  in  the  years  1832-33,  prove  that  in  all  essential 
matters  the  peculiarities  and  characteristics  already  mentioned 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  139 

are  typical  of  the  entire  race  of  Red  Men  inhabiting  the  conti- 
nent north  of  Mexico.  At  the  time  of  his  writings,  substan- 
tially the  whole  territory  west  of  Louisiana,  Arkansas,  Missouri, 
and  Illinois  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Indian  tribes  who  then 
numbered,  according  to  Catlin's  estimate,  about  2,000,000. 
His  description  of  the  people  with  whom  he  came  in  contact 
is  worthy  of  reproduction. 

"The  Indians  of  North  America,"  said  he,  "are  copper- 
colored,  with  long  black  hair,  black  eyes,  tall,  straight,  and 
elastic  forms  —  are  less  than  2,000,000  in  number  —  were 
originally  the  undisputed  owners  of  the  soil,  and  got  their  title 
to  their  lands  from  the  Great  Spirit  who  created  them  on  it, 
—  were  once  a  happy  and  flourishing  people,  enjoying  all  the  com- 
forts and  luxuries  of  life  which  they  knew  of,  and  consequently 
cared  for,  —  were  16,000,000  in  numbers,  and  sent  that  number 
of  daily  prayers  to  the  Almighty,  and  thanks  for  his  goodness 
and  protection.  Their  country  was  entered  by  white  men, 
but  a  few  hundred  years  since  ;  and  30,000,000  of  these  are 
now  scuffling  for  the  goods  and  luxuries  of  life  over  the  bones 
and  ashes  of  1 2,000,000  of  Red  Men  ;  6,000,000  of  whom  have 
fallen  victims  to  the  small-pox,  and  the  remainder  to  the  sword, 
the  bayonet,  and  whiskey ;  all  of  which  means  of  their  death 
and  destruction  have  been  introduced  and  visited  upon  them 
by  acquisitive  white  men  ;  and  by  white  men  also,  whose  fore- 
fathers were  welcomed  and  embraced,  in  the  land  where  the 
poor  Indian  met  and  fed  them  with  'ears  of  green  corn  and 
with  pemican.'  Of  the  2,000,000  remaining  alive  at  this  time, 
about  1,400,000  are  already  the  miserable  living  victims  and 
dupes  of  the  white  man's  cupidity,  degraded,  discouraged,  and 
lost  in  the  bewildering  maze  that  is  produced  by  the  use  of 
whiskey  and  its  concomitant  vices  ;  and  the  remaining  number 
are  yet  unroused  and  unnoticed  from  their  wild  haunts  or  their 
primative  modes,  by  the  dread  or  love  of  white  man  and  his 
allurements." 

All  who  have  come  in  contact  with  the  North  American 
Indian  in  his  native  state,  have  borne  testimony  to  the  fact 
that  he  was  honest,  hospitable,  faithful,  brave,  warlike  even 
though  cruel,  revengeful,  and  relentless,  and  that  he  was  an 
honorable,  contemplative,  and  religious  being.  If  the  customs 


140  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

and  ceremonies  of  the  Indians  present  evidences  of  that  which 
is  dark  and  cruel,  or  of  ignorant  and  disgusting  excess  of  passion, 
it  should  be  remembered  in  palliation  that  these  customs  and 
ceremonies  came  down  to  them  by  tradition  from  the  dim  past, 
and  were  as  natural  and  proper  to  them  as  our  customs  and  cere- 
monies of  civilization  to  us.  After  intercourse  for  eight  years, 
visiting  and  associating  with  some  three  or  four  hundred  thou- 
sand of  these  people  under  an  almost  infinite  variety  of  circum- 
stances, Catlin  bore  witness  to  the  very  many  and  decidedly 
voluntary  acts  of  hospitality  and  kindness  bestowed  upon  him, 
and  felt  bound  to  pronounce  them  by  nature  a  kind  and  hospita- 
ble people.  He  was  welcomed  in  their  country,  and  treated  to 
the  best  they  could  give  "without  hope  of  fee  or  reward."  He 
was  escorted  through  the  country  of  their  enemies  at  hazard  to 
their  own  lives,  but  under  all  circumstances  of  exposure  "no 
Indian  ever  betrayed  him,  struck  him  a  blow,  or  stole  from  him 
a  shilling's  worth  of  property." 

A  large  number  of  legends  have  come  down  to  us  descriptive 
of  the  various  dances  and  ceremonies  of  the  northwestern 
Indians,  all  of  which  would  be  of  great  interest  to  the  reader. 
A  few  of  them  will  be  appropriate  as  illustrating  the  peculiarities 
which  made  the  Indian  sui  generis,  and  which  justified  the 
selection  of  the  name  by  which  he  sometimes  described  himself, 
"Ongwee  Hongwee." 

Experiments  by  scientific  men  within  the  last  few  years  to 
produce  rain,  during  a  season  of  long  drought,  have  led  to 
the  participants  in  these  experiments  being  called  rainmakers. 
Among  the  Mandans,  as  late  as  1832,  the  rainmakers  were  held 
in  high  repute.  While  the  Mystery  Men  performed  their  rites 
inside  of  the  lodge,  young  men  were  sent  to  the  roof  to  stand 
there  from  sunrise  to  sundown  commanding  it  to  rain.  If  the 
attempt  was  fruitless  he  descended  at  night  in  disgrace.  If  he 
succeeded  he  acquired  a  lasting  reputation  as  a  Mystery  or 
Medicine  Man.  The  rainmakers  never  failed  of  success  eventu- 
ally as  the  ceremony  continued  from  day  to  day  until  rain  came. 

The  reason  for  this  ceremony  was  apparent.  The  Mandans 
raised  a  great  deal  of  corn,  and  in  seasons  of  drought  great 
disaster  threatened  the  harvest.  The  Chiefs  and  Medicine  Men 
were  appealed  to  by  the  women  to  produce  rain  for  the  benefit 


PRIMITIVE    RED    MEN.  141 

of  the  corn.  After  delaying  as  long  as  possible,  the  demands 
of  the  women  became  so  insistent  that  the  Medicine  Men 
assembled  in  the  council  house  with  all  their  mystery  apparatus 
about  them,  with  an  abundance  of  wild  sage  and  other  aromatic 
herbs  which  they  burned  upon  the  fire  prepared  in  order  that 
the  odors  might  ascend  to  the  Great  Spirit.  No  one  was 
allowed  within  the  council  house  where  the  ceremonies  were 
performed  except  the  Medicine  Men,  and  the  young  men  who 
had  been  selected  as  willing  to  make  the  attempt  to  produce 
rain.  One  by  one  each  took  his  turn  by  lot  to  spend  the  day 
upon  the  top  of  the  lodge,  and  to  test  the  potency  of  his  medi- 
cine. At  the  same  time  the  doctors  were  burning  incense  in 
the  wigwam  below,  and  with  their  songs  a*nd  prayers  to  the 
Great  Spirit  for  success  were  sending  forth  grateful  odors  to 
Him  "who  lives  in  the  sun  and  commands  the  thunders  of 
Heaven."  Finally  the  cloud  appeared,  and  the  fortunate  brave, 
who,  from  the  top  of  the  lodge  noticed  its  approach,  drew  upon 
himself  the  eyes  of  the  whole  village  as  he  vaunted  forth  his 
superhuman  powers,  and,  at  the  same  time,  commanded  the  cloud 
to  come  nearer,  that  he  might  draw  down  its  contents  upon  the 
corn  fields  of  his  people.  Finally  the  bow  was  bent,  and  the 
arrow,  drawn  to  its  head,  sent  to  the  cloud.  In  a  few  moments 
the  rain  fell  in  torrents.  He  then  descended  from  his  high 
place  prepared  to  receive  the  honors  and  homage  that  were 
due  to  one  so  potent  in  his  mysteries,  and  to  receive  the  style 
and  title  of  Medicine  Man. 

On  the  occasion  above  described  after  the  rain  had  commenced 
falling,  it  continued  to  pour  down  in  torrents  until  midnight,  the 
thunder  roared  and  the  lightning  flashed  through  a  lodge  and 
killed  a  beautiful  girl.  The  new-made  Medicine  Man  was  in 
great  trouble,  for  he  knew  that  he  was  subject  to  the  irrevocable 
degree  of  the  chiefs  and  doctors  whose  vengeance  was  likely  to 
fall  without  mercy  upon  the  immediate  cause  of  the  disaster. 
Morning  came  and  he  soon  learned  from  some  of  his  friends 
the  opinion  of  the  wise  men,  and  also  the  nature  of  the  tribunal 
that  was  prepared  for  him.  He  sent  for  his  three  horses,  and 
mounting  the  medicine  lodge  addressed  the  assembled  villagers 
with  these  words  :  "  My  friends,  I  see  you  all  around  me,  and  I 
am  before  you  ;  my  medicine  you  see  is  great  —  it  is  too  great 


142  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

—  I  am  young  and  I  was  too  fast  —  I  knew  not  when  to  stop. 
The  wigwam  of  Mah-sish  is  laid  low,  and  many  are  the  eyes  that 
weep  for  Ko-ka  (the  Antelope).  Wak-a-dah-ha-hee  gives  three 
horses  to  gladden  the  hearts  of  those  who  weep  for  Ko-ka ;  his 
medicine  was  great  —  his  arrow  pierced  the  cloud  and  the  light- 
ning came !  Who  says  the  medicine  of  Wak-a-dah-ha-hee  is  not 
strong  ? "  At  the  end  of  this  sentence  a  unanimous  shout  of 
approbation  ran  through  the  crowd,  and  the  brave  descended 
amongst  them  greeted  by  shakes  of  the  hand,  and  ever  after  he 
lived  and  thrived  under  the  familiar  and  honorable  title  of  Big 
Double  Medicine. 

The  annual  religious  ceremony  of  the  Mandans  lasted  four 
days.  To  the  paleface  this  ceremony  included  scenes  of  great 
apparent  cruelty  and  barbarity,  but  with  the  Indians  themselves 
it  was  regarded  as  a  great  religious  anniversary,  and  approved 
by  the  Great  Spirit, 

Catlin  bore  witness  to  the  fact  that  all  the  Indian  tribes 
visited  by  him  were  religious  and  worshipful,  and  did  everything 
in  their  power  to  propitiate  the  Great  Spirit.  They  all  believed 
in  the  existence  of  a  Great  (or  Good)  Spirit,  and  an  Evil  (or 
Bad)  Spirit,  and  also  a  future  existence  and  future  accounta- 
bility for  their  virtues  and  vices  in  this  world.  In  this  respect 
the  North  American  Indian  seemed  to  have  been  one  family ; 
but  there  was  a  variance  with  regard  to  the  manner  and  form, 
and  time  and  place,  of  the  accountability  mentioned  as  to  what 
constituted  virtue  and  vice,  and  what  were  the  proper  modes 
of  appeasing  and  propitiating  the  Good  and  Evil  Spirits. 

For  instance,  the  Mandans  believed  in  the  existence  of  both 
a  Great  Spirit  and  an  Evil  Spirit ;  but  they  believed  the  Evil 
Spirit  existed  long  before  the  Great  Spirit,  and  was  far  superior 
in  power.  They  believed  in  a  future  state  and  existence,  and  a 
future  administration  of  rewards  and  punishments  ;  but  they 
believed  these  punishments  were  not  eternal,  but  were  com- 
mensurate with  their  sins.  Living  in  a  climate  where  they 
suffered  from  cold  in  the  severity  of  their  winters  they  very 
naturally  reversed  our  ideas  of  heaven  and  hell.  With  them 
the  torments  of  hell  were  from  cold  and  not  from  heat,  while 
heaven  was  supposed  to  be  a  warm  and  delightful  place  where 
nothing  is  felt  but  the  keenest  enjoyment,  and  where  the 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  143 

country  abounds  in  buffaloes  and  other  luxuries  of  life.  The 
Great  Spirit  they  believed  dwelt  in  the  place  of  torment,  for 
the  purpose  of  meeting  there  those  who  had  offended  him, 
and  increasing  the  agony  of  their  sufferings.  The  Evil  Spirit, 
on  the  contrary,  they  supposed  to  reside  in  Paradise  still  tempt- 
ing the  happy. 

Three  distinct  objects  were%  given  for  holding  these  religious 
ceremonies.  First,  as  a  celebration  of  the  event  of  the  subsid- 
ing of  the  flood.  Second,  for  the  purpose  of  dancing  the  Buf- 
falo dance  to  the  strict  observance  of  which  they  attributed 
the  coming  of  the  buffaloes  to  supply  them  with  food  each 
returning  season.  Third,  for  the  purpose  ^f  proving,  by  the 
ordeal  of  privation  and  torture,  the  courage  of  the  young  men 
of  the  tribe  as  they  arrived  at  the  age  of  manhood,  and  prepar- 
ing them  by  extreme  endurance  for  the  duties  of  the  war-path. 
Portions  of  the  ceremonies  were  grotesque  and  amusing ;  but 
others  tried,  to  the  fullest  extent,  the  courage  and  endurance 
of  those  upon  which  they  were  practised.  The  medicine  or 
mystery  lodge  stood  in  the  middle  of  the  village,  and  was  built 
exclusively  for  the  purposes  of  the  annual  celebration.  The 
time  for  the  ceremony  was  on  no  particular  day  of  the  year, 
as  they  kept  no  record  of  days  or  weeks  as  do  the  palefaces, 
but  was  at  a  particular  season  designated  by  the  full  expansion 
of  the  willow  leaves  under  the  bank  of  the  river.  According 
to  their  tradition,  "the  twig  that  the  bird  brought  home  was 
a  willow  bough,  and  had  full  grown  leaves  on  it,"  and  the  bird 
to  which  they  alluded  is  the  mourning  or  turtle  dove,  which 
they  considered  a  medicine  bird,  and  which  they  carefully  guarded 
from  harm  even  from  their  dogs  who  were  instructed  to  do 
it  no  injury. 

The  ceremony  of  the  first  day  commenced  with  great  howling 
and  screaming  by  the  women  and  children.  The  whole  com- 
munity joined  in  the  general  expression  of  great  alarm,  as  if  in 
danger  of  instant  destruction.  In  the  midst  of  this  din  and 
confusion,  way  out  on  the  prairie  was  seen  approaching  a  man 
alone  and  nearly  naked.  A  robe  of  willow  skins  hung  back 
over  his  shoulders  ;  on  his  head  he  had  a  splendid  head-dress 
made  of  raven  skins,  and  in  his  left  hand  he  cautiously  carried 
a  large  pipe  which  he  regarded  as  something  of  great  impor- 


144 


IMPROVED   ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 


tance.  He  went  to  the  mystery  lodge,  which  he  opened.  He 
called  to  his  assistance  four  men  whom  he  appointed  to  clean 
out  the  lodge  and  put  it  in  readiness  for  the  ceremony  about 
to  take  place,  by  sweeping  it  and  strewing  a  profusion  of  green 
willow  boughs  over  its  floor,  while  sage  and  aromatic  herbs 
were  also  scattered  around,  and  over  these  were  arranged  buf- 
falo and  human  skulls  and  other  articles  which  were  to  be  used 
during  the  ceremonies  to  follow.  During  the  whole  of  the 
day,  and  while  these  preparations  were  being  made,  "  the  first 
or  only  man"  went  around  through  the  village  stopping  in 
front  of  each  lodge  until  the  owner  came  out  and  asked  who 
he  was  and  what  was  the  matter,  to  which  he  replied  by  relat- 
ing the  sad  catastrophe  which  had  happened  on  the  earth's 
surface  by  the  overflow  of  the  waters.  Saying  that  he  was 
the  only  person  saved  from  the  universal  calamity;  that  he 
launched  his  big  canoe  on  a  high  mountain  in  the  west  where 
he  now  resides ;  that  he  had  come  to  open  the  medicine  lodge, 
for  which  he  must  receive  a  present  of  some  edged  tool  from 
the  owner  of  every  wigwam,  that  it  may  be  sacrificed  to  the 
water ;  if  this  was  not  done  there  would  be  another  flood,  and 
no  one  would  be  saved,  as  it  was  with  such  tools  that  the  big 
canoe  was  made.  He  received  a  present  from  each,  which  was 
deposited  in  the  medicine  lodge,  where  they  remained  until  the 
afternoon  of  the  last  day  of  the  ceremony,  when,  as  the  final 
or  closing  scene,  they  were  thrown  into  the  river  in  the  presence 
of  the  whole  village  as  a  sacrifice  to  the  Spirit  of  the  Water. 
On  the  third  day  the  candidates  for  the  torture,  by  which  they 
were  to  prove  their  manhood  and  endurance,  entered  the  mys- 
tery lodge.  On  the  occasion  which  we  are  describing,  about 
fifty  entered  the  lists  properly  prepared  for  the  test.  Each 
carried  in  his  right  hand  his  medicine  bag,  while  on  the  left 
arm  hung  his  shield  of  bull's  hide,  and  in  his  left  hand  were  held 
his  bow  and  arrows,  and  his  quiver  was  hung  on  his  back. 

Having  entered  the  mystery  lodge,  the  first  or  only  man  de- 
livered a  short  speech  stimulating  and  encouraging  them  to 
trust  to  the  Great  Spirit  for  protection  during  the  ceremonies 
and  severe  ordeal  through  which  they  were  to  pass.  He  then 
called  in  a  medicine  man  whom  he  appointed  master  of  ceremo- 
nies for  the  occasion,  and  who  was  designated  by  them  O-kee- 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  145 

• 
pah-ka-se-kah,  keeper  or  conductor  of  ceremonies.     To  him  was 

passed  the  medicine-pipe,  and  this  appointment  having  thus 
been  confirmed,  the  only  man  shook  hands  with  him  and  bade 
him  good-by,  saying  that  he  was  going  back  to  the  mountains 
in  the  west,  from  whence  he  should  assuredly  return  in  just  a 
year  from  that  time  to  open  the  lodge  again. 

The  Medicine  Man  took  his  position  at  the  centre  of  the 
lodge.  He  cried  to  the  Great  Spirit  all  the  time,  and  watched 
the  young  men  who  were  to  fast  and  thirst  for  four  days  and 
nights  preparatory  to  the  torture.  Behind  him  on  the  floor 
were  the  scalping-knife,  and  a  bunch  of  splints  to  be  passed 
through  the  flesh  of  those  who  were  to  submit  to  the  torture. 
Cords  were  let  down  from  the  roof  to  which  the  splints  were  to 
be  attached,  and  by  which  they  were  to  be  hung  up  by  the  flesh. 

The  Buffalo  dance  was  a  part  of  the  ceremony  assigned  prin- 
cipally to  the  third  day,  although  it  was  danced  four  times  on 
the  first  day,  eight  times  on  the  second  day,  twelve  times  on 
the  third  day,  and  sixteen  times  on  the  fourth  day.  The  prin- 
cipal actors  in  it  were  eight  men  with  buffalo  robes  over  their 
backs  with  the  horns  and  hoofs  attached,  the  body  being  in 
horizontal  position,  enabling  them  to  imitate  the  actions  of  the 
buffalo  while  they  were  looking  out  of  its  eyes  as  through  a 
mask.  The  bodies  of  the  men  were  nearly  naked,  and  all 
painted  in  the  most  extraordinary  manner  and  similar  to  each 
other.  The  eight  men  were  divided  into  four  pairs,  and  took 
their  positions  at  the  four  cardinal  points.  Between  the  groups 
were  four  other  persons  appropriately  painted,  two  of  whom 
represented  night,  and  the  other  two  represented  day.  These 
twelve  persons  were  the  only  persons  actually  engaged  in  the 
dance,  although  a  great  number  assisted  in  giving  it  proper 
effect. 

On  the  first  day  this  Bull  or  Buffalo  dance  was  given  one  to 
each  of  the  cardinal  points,  and  the  Medicine  Man  smoked  his 
pipe  in  these  directions.  In  like  manner,  twice  on  the  second 
day,  three  times  on  the  third  day,  and  four  times  on  the  fourth 
day.  Indeed  a  superstitious  regard  seems  to  have  been  paid  to 
the  number  four.  During  the  dances  the  Medicine  Man,  assisted 
by  the  old  man,  delivered  a  chant,  sending  forth  their  supplica- 
tions to  the  Great  Spirit  for  the  continuation  of  his  influence  in 


146  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

* 

sending  them  buffaloes  to  supply  them  with  food  during  the 
year,  and  also  keeping  up  the  courage  and  fortitude  of  the 
young  men  in  the  lodge  by  telling  them  that  the  Great  Spirit 
had  opened  their  ears  in  their  behalf. 

On  the  fourth  day  was  illustrated  the  driving  away  of  the 
Evil  Spirit.  One  of  the  tribe,  painted  in  a  hideous  manner, 
represented  the  Evil  Spirit.  He  came  in  among  the  people 
engaged  in  the  ceremonies,  all  of  whom  fled  from  him  with  the 
greatest  apparent  fear  and  alarm.  Finally  the  Evil  Spirit  was 
driven  away  by  the  women,  and  returned  to  the  place  from 
whence  he  came.  The  moral  of  the  appearance  of  the  Evil 
Spirit,  was  this  :  That  in  the  midst  of  their  religious  ceremonies 
the  Evil  Spirit  came  for  the  purpose  of  doing  mischief  and  of 
disturbing  their  worship  ;  that  he  was  held  in  check  and  defeated 
by  the  superior  influence  and  virtue  of  the  medicine  pipe,  and  at 
last  driven  in  disgrace  out  of  the  village  by  the  very  part  of  the 
community  whom  he  came  to  abuse.  The  close  of  the  fourth 
day  of  the  ceremonies  was  devoted  to  the  tortures  by  which  the 
bravery  and  endurance  of  the  young  man  was  tested.  Splints 
were  passed  through  the  flesh  of  the  arms,  legs,  and  the  breast. 
To  those  in  the  arms  and  legs  were  attached  weights,  buffalo 
heads,  etc.,  which  were  allowed  to  remain  until  by  suppuration 
they  dropped  out  of  their  own  weight.  To  the  splints  in  the 
breast  were  attached  the  cords  by  which  they  were  hoisted  six 
or  eight  feet  from  the  ground,  remaining  in  that  position  until 
by  their  own  weight  they  broke  their  flesh  loose  from  the  splints. 
After  these  tortures  had  been  concluded  the  presents  of  edged 
tools  which,  as  above  stated,  had  been  collected  at  the  door  of 
every  man's  wigwam,  were  taken  by  the  Medicine  Man  to  the 
bank  of  the  river,  when  all  the  other  medicine  men  attended  him, 
and  all  the  nation  were  spectators,  and  in  their  presence  he  threw 
them  from  a  high  bank  into  the  water,  from  which  they  could 
not  be  recovered.  This  part  of  the  affair  took  place  exactly  at 
sundown,  and  closed  the  scene,  being  the  ending  of  the  Mandans, 
religious  ceremony. 

This  chapter  has  already  exceeded  the  limit  originally  assigned ; 
but  the  subject  has  been  so  fascinating,  and  the  mass  of  material 
at  hand  so  great,  that  the  difficulty  has  been  to  decide  what  to 
omit,  rather  than  what  to  select.  What  has  been  presented  is 


PRIMITIVE  RED  MEN.  147 

but  a  very  small  portion  of  that  untouched.  Our  idea  has  been 
to  present,  as  near  as  may  be,  a  comprehensive  sketch  of  Indian 
character  in  all  its  phases,  trusting  thereby,  to  arouse  in  the 
mind  of  the  reader,  sufficient  interest  to  induce  him  to  delve  for 
himself  in  the  mine  of  wealth  at  his  command,  illustrative  of 
Indian  character,  Indian  purity,  Indian  nobility  alone  and  un- 
tarnished, and  unspotted  by  contact  with  his  so-called  civilized  ' 
conqueror. 

Where  extracts  have  been  taken  from  publications  long  since 
out  of  print,  some  of  them  published  more  than  one  hundred 
years  ago,  or  in  which  were  quotations  fcom  writings  and 
publications  of  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  centuries,  we 
have  thought  proper  to  use  the  quaint  language  of  the  original 
writing  rather  than  to  change  it  to  the  modern  idioms.  As  in 
the  study  of  a  history  of  a  people  much  is  learned  from  their 
habits  and  customs,  so  also  an  insight  is  gained  into  the  forms 
and  peculiarities  of  a  certain  time  by  the  language  then  used. 
In  this  chapter  as  in  other  portions  of  the  book,  we  have  not 
hesitated  to  draw  upon  the  material  at  command,  making  gen- 
eral acknowledgment  of  the  source  of  our  information,  and  claim- 
ing only  the  arrangement  and  adaptation  to  this  history  of  the 
selections  we  have  made. 

Among  the  races  of  the  earth,  the  North  American  Indian 
stands  unique  and  remarkable.  Whatever  may  have  been  the 
origin  of  the  race,  how  many  the  ages  of  the  evolution  by  which 
it  descended  from  those  prehistoric  people  that  inhabited  the 
country  before  it,  it  has  left  a  record  in  the  speaking  books  of 
the  palefaces  too  vivid  and  remarkable  ever  to  be  effaced. 

Brought  into  daily  contact  with  the  Indians,  and  being 
thereby  made  cognizant  of  their  fearlessness,  endurance  and 
freedom  from  restraint,  it  is  not  too  much  to  assume  that  the 
same  inspiration  of  liberty  was  imbibed  by  those  who  composed 
the  Patriotic  Societies  mentioned  in  the  succeeding  chapter, 
and  suggested  to  them  the  idea  of  separation  from  the  mother 
country  and  the  establishment  of  a  free  government,  which 
thought  afterwards  became  crystallized  into  the  United  States. 

Accustomed  as  we  are  to  a  reiteration  of  the  brutal  phrase 
"there  is  no  good  Indian  except  he  be  a  dead  Indian,"  simple 
justice  would  seem  to  compel  us  to  learn  something  of  this  won- 


148 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 


derful  race,  who  in  the  imagery  of  their  own  expressive  language, 
"  are  fast  travelling  to  the  shades  of  their  fathers,  towards  the 
setting  sun."  If  what  has  here  been  written  will  arouse  that 
sense  of  justice  which  shall  influence  the  reader  to  remember 
the  virtues,  and  forget  the  faults,  of  this  singular  people,  our 
object  will  have  been  accomplished.  And  if  in  the  description 
given,  we  shall  have  brought  to  the  members  of  our  Order,  even 
in  a  slight  degree,  some  knowledge  of  the  Original  People,  whose 
customs  are  perpetuated  in  the  forms  and  ceremonies  of  our  rit- 
ualistic work,  we  feel  confident  the  result  will  be  that  they  will 
have  a  stronger  love  and  a  more  enduring  fidelity  for  the  Im- 
proved Order  of  Red  Men,  by  which  the  memory  of  the  Primi- 
tive Red  Men  will  be  preserved  to  the  latest  period  of  recorded 
time  ! 


CHAPTER    III. 

PATRIOTIC    SOCIETIES. 

IN  considering  the  traditional  epoch  of  the  history  of  our 
Order  due  notice  must  be  taken  of  those  patriotic  organizations, 
frequently  alluded  to  in  these  pages,  formed,  some  at  least,  ten 
years  previous  to  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  influential 
in  all  the  colonies  and  all,  or  nearly  all,  using  the  forms  and 
customs  of  the  Indians  for  their  mystic  ceremonies.  They  cer- 
tainly had  a  common  origin  and  close  communication  for  the 
same  ultimate  object, — the  freedom  and  independence  of  the 
colonies.  There  is  abundant  evidence  to  justify  this  assump- 
tion. The  population  was  too  sparse  to  permit  of  such  sys- 
tematic work,  in  separate  localities,  harmoniously  conducted, 
without  some  form  of  communication  and  union.  This  fact  is 
made  plain  by  investigation,  and  is  surely  sustained  by  the  in- 
formation herein  given. 

The  first  reliable  information  that  we  possess  of  the  existence 
of  a  secret  society  which  adopted  and  practised  the  forms  and 
ceremonies,  and  wore  the  costumes  of  the  <f Children  of  the 
Forest,"  and  which  claimed  a  genuine  Indian  Chieftain  as  its 
tutelar  saint  and  patron,  is  derived  from  the  early  history  of 
the  Colony  of  Maryland. 

Some  of  the  facts  which  we  shall  mention  in  the  beginning 
of  this  chapter  have  been  briefly  commented  upon  ;  but  we  refer 
to  them  again  at  greater  length,  and  substantiate  them  with 
additional  proof.  The  people  of  the  colonies,  prior  to  the  War 
of  Independence,  had  suffered  many  indignities  and  wrongs  at 
the  hands  of  their  rulers  under  the  British  Government. 

History  shows  us  that  the  presence  of  the  English  in  any 
number  or  settlement  in  America,  dates  from  the  reign  of  James 
I.  of  England.  At  first,  the  settlers  were  privileged  companies 
with  royal  letters-patent,  but  in  reality  independent,  and  as  they 

149 


150  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

were  dissenters  seeking  a  place  of  refuge  from  what  they  con- 
sidered the  grievance  of  the  established  church  and  the  govern- 
ment, they  took  care  not  to  convey  the  grievance  with  them  as 
they  would  have  done  had  they  been  really  incorporated  with 
the  British  empire.  This  course  was  at  first  allowed  by  Great 
Britain  —  until  the  advantage  and  value  of  the  possessions  in 
America  were  more  thoroughly  understood.  Having  once 
awakened  to  this  knowledge,  the  policy  of  England  was  at 
once  different,  and  all  possessions  acquired  by  the  subjects  of 
James  I.,  either  by  conquest  or  occupation,  were  deemed  to  be 
held  by  them  for  the  crown.  This  was  exemplified  in  the  early 
history  of  New  Zealand.  We  refer  now  to  the  early  settlement 
of  the  colonies.  This  course  was  a  beneficent  one  for  their 
growth  upon  foreign  soil,  as  it  must  appear  even  upon  cursory 
observation. 

"  There  are  many  evils  incident  to  any  attempts  at  indepen- 
dent colonization.  Colonists  themselves  when  they  rightly 
appreciate  their  own  interests  must  see  the  advantage  in  the 
supremacy  of  the  crown,  or  rather  in  that  of  the  British  Parlia- 
ment, for  the  crown  is  only  properly  supreme  over  a  territory 
which  has  been  taken  by  conquest  from  another  civilized  power. 
The  supremacy  implies  a  right  to  protection  much  needed  by 
small  collections  of  men  in  distant  regions." 

Such  was  certainly  true  of  the  infant  history  of  our  country, 
and  undoubtedly  the  fact  that  they  were  known  as  belonging  to 
the  English  crown  was  an  immense  protection  to  the  colonists 
against  the  claims  of  either  France  or  Spain. 

But  while  this  was  true  of  the  infancy  of  America,  the  fact 
became  patent  that  as  the  colonies  grew  and  strengthened, 
financially,  territorially,  and  in  freedom  of  thought,  they  grew 
restive  under  this  restraining  influence,  and  disposed,  if  possible, 
to  escape  from  it.  Possibly  the  freedom  of  the  Red  Man  was 
an  incentive  to  this  feeling,  for  the  colonists  saw  that  although 
they  (the  Indians)  were  governed  by  a  Chief  or  Sachem,  that 
this  government  was  one  in  which  all  warriors  had  representa- 
tion, and  each  was  allowed  a  voice  in  the  councils  at  which 
measures  of  government  were  decided.  Added  to  this  also  was 
the  change  of  attitude  assumed  by  the  English  government,  at 
first  friendly,  sympathetic,  and  helpful.  The  resources  of  the 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  151 

New  World  no  sooner  came  to  be  thoroughly  understood  than 
England  became  rapacious  and  grasping,  and  the  colonists  were 
regarded  by  the  English  as  a  mine  from  which,  by  unjust  taxa- 
tion, money  could  be  continually  raised. 

This  is  shown  by  the  subsequent  history  of  the  colonies.  It 
could  not  be  expected  that  men  who  had  braved  the  perils  of  the 
ocean,  and  the  unknown  dangers  of  the  New  World,  would 
tamely  submit  to  such  a  course.  Continued  criticism  among 
themselves  of  these  causes,  although  smothered  protests  to 
such  acts,  engendered  in  them  a  spirit  of  opposition  which  grew 
stronger  even  from  the  secrecy  which  its  existence  made  nec- 
essary. The  colonists  strongly  resented  having  laws  made  for 
them  and  taxes  levied  upon  them,  in  which  they  had  no  voice. 
Harsh  and  tyrannical  measures  provoked  a  spirit  of  opposition 
and  enmity  to  the  crown,  and  although  its  laws  and  edicts 
had  been  submitted  to,  yet  this  submission  partook  of  the  form 
and  spirit  of  sullen  compliance,  totally  devoid  of  allegiance 
or  recognized  duty  to  a  sovereign,  and  it  was  looked  upon 
as  a  stern  and  compulsory  necessity  from  which  there  was  no 
escape  except  through  rebellion  and  revolution. 

Among  the  most  offensive  acts  of  England,  and  the  one  most 
detrimental  to  the  interests  of  the  colonies,  was  the  Navigation 
Act.  This  was  passed  in  the  year  1660.  "By  this  act  the 
American  colonists  were  compelled  to  ship  their  staples  to 
England  alone,  they  were  forced  also  to  buy  all  their  European 
goods  there,  and  the  carrying  trade  was  confined  to  English 
vessels." 

The  injustice  of  this  act  will  be  seen  at  once.  The  colonists 
already  had  a  thriving  business  in  ship-building  and  in  com- 
merce. This  was  ruined  by  the  act,  and  the  loss  naturally 
produced  great  indignation  against  the  mother  country. 

England  would  not  allow  the  colonies  to  produce  anything 
that  would  interfere  with  her  own  manufactures.  The  colonists 
having  plenty  of  beaver  skins  made  a  great  many  hats  ;  this 
was  forbidden  by  England.  They  said  that  America  would 
soon  supply  the  world  with  hats.  The  colonists  manufactured 
iron.  The  English  stopped  that  also ;  they  said  that  the 
Americans  had  no  right  to  manufacture  even  a  nail  for  a  horse- 
shoe. 


152  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

The  Navigation  Act,  of  which  we  have  spoken,  was  more 
bitterly  resented  than  any  act  of  the  English  government,  for, 
as  we  have  said,  it  was  the  most  hurtful.  In  order  to  see  that 
the  measures  of  this  act  were  carried  out,  England  created  a 
large  number  of  custom-house  officers,  and  to  assist  them  in 
finding  smuggled  goods,  they  obtained  Writs  of  Assistance, 
which  were  neither  more  nor  less  than  legal  permits  to  enter 
and  search  any  man's  house.  No  free  people  could  submit  to 
this.  All  these  acts  were  but  the  forerunner  of  that  struggle 
which  was  to  result  in  the  freedom  forever  of  the  colonies. 

England  now  attempted  to  tax  the  colonies  in  order  to  meet 
the  expense  arising  from  the  French  and  Indian  wars,  by  im- 
posing a  tax  on  articles  imported  into  the  colonies.  This  was, 
of  course,  resisted.  Angered  by  the  actions  of  the  colonists, 
and  determined  to  force  submission  and  revenue  from  them, 
England,  in  1765,  passed  an  act  known  as  the  Stamp  Act 
which  levied  a  tax  on  all  paper  vellum  and  parchment  used 
in  the  colonies.  No  document  could  be  legal  without  a  stamp. 
There  was  also  passed,  about  the  same  time,  the  Quartering 
Act.  A  standing  army  was  ordered  for  the  colonies,  and  the 
people  were  required  to  provide  the  troops  with  quarters,  bed- 
ding, fire-wood,  drinks,  soap,  and  candles. 

This  dastardly  act  roused  to  a  burning  fire  the  indignation 
and  resentment  which  had  smouldered  so  long  in  the  hearts  of 
the  colonists. 

It  may  be  mentioned  here,  as  an  instance  of  how  strangely 
history  repeats  itself,  and  also,  the  changes  that  years  made, 
that  in  the  United  States  a  stamp  tax  was  imposed  for  the  first 
time  after  the  war  of  the  Southern  rebellion,  and  that  earlier 
than  this,  about  the  year  1779,  in  the  State  of  Maryland,  a 
tax  was  levied  upon  her  people  to  meet  the  expenses  resulting 
from  the  Revolutionary  war.  This  tax  was  endured  the  more 
cheerfully  because  it  was  part  of  the  price  of  liberty,  and  men 
knew  that  no  price  was  too  dear  for  that  blessing. 

Although  opposition  had  not  as  yet  taken  the  form  of  open 
hostility,  still  in  secret  men  brooded  over  their  wrongs,  and, 
when  it  could  be  done  with  safety,  counselled  and  consulted 
with  each  other  as  to  the  means  of  freeing  themselves  from  the 
obnoxious  rule  of  the  mother  country. 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  153 

Gradually  these  secret  councils  took  the  form  of  regularly 
organized  meetings,  which  in  turn  resolved  themselves  into  a 
secret  society  styled  by  its  members  "  the  Sons  of  Liberty." 
So  instinctive  was  this  feeling  in  the  hearts  of  all  the  members 
of  this  society,  that  the  name  "  Sons  of  Liberty  "  was  chosen  as 
symbolical  of  the  sentiment  and  as  indicative  of  the  liberty  and 
freedom  they  longed  for.  The  precise  date  of  the  formation  of 
this  society  cannot  now  be  traced ;  but  that  it  had  an  existence 
at  least  ten  years  previous  to  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
is  proved  by  the  action  of  its  members  relative  to  the  odious 
Stamp  Act,  sought  to  be  imposed  upon  the  American  colonies 
in  the  year  1765. 

At  the  beginning  of  this  chapter  the  statement  was  made 
that  the  first  information  of  a  society  which  claimed  a  genuine 
Indian  chieftain  as  its  tutelar  saint  and  patron,  was  derived  from 
the  early  history  of  the  colony  of  Maryland.  This,  as  the  text 
subsequently  indicated,  referred  to  the  Saint  Tamina  Society, 
organized  at  Annapolis  in  1771.  It  would  be  more  proper  to 
say  that  the  society  of  Sons  of  Liberty  on  that  date  changed  its 
name  to  that  of  Saint  Tamina  Society.  In  addition  to  what  is 
elsewhere  stated  concerning  the  Sons  of  Liberty,  it  is  proper 
to  add  a  further  account  of  this  society. 

Colonel  Isaac  Barre  was  a  member  of  Parliament  for  several 
years  following  1761.  He  was  among  the  few  who  opposed  the 
passage  of  the  Stamp  Act,  which  passed  Parliament  by  a  vote 
of  five  to  one,  for  which  service  he  afterwards  received  the 
thanks  of  the  province.  In  a  speech  on  February  6,  1765, 
Barre  had  called  the  opposing  parties  in  the  colonies  "the 
Sons  of  Liberty,"  which  name  was  immediately  afterwards 
adopted  by  the  society.  While  the  precise  date  of  organization, 
therefore,  may  not  be  stated,  it  was  evidently  at  or  previous  to 
the  year  1765,  and  the  time  of  assuming  the  name  "Sons  of 
Liberty,"  subsequent  to  February,  1765.  The  organization  took 
a  leading  part  in  all  patriotic  movements  between  1765  and  the 
Declaration  of  Independence.  On  the  I4th  of  August,  1765, 
Andrew  Oliver,  brother-in-law  of  Governor  Hutchinson,  was 
hung  in  effigy  from  the  old  elm  known  as  the  Liberty  Tree 
which  stood  on  Washington  street,  Boston,  Mass.,  facing  what 
is  now  the  beginning  of  Boylston  street.  "  This  pageant,"  we 


154  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

are  told,  "  had  been  prepared  by  a  party  of  Boston  mechanics 
called  Sons  of  Liberty  who,  prompted  by  the  intense  feeling  of 
the  hour,  devised  this  method  to  express  it.  The  I4th  of  Au- 
gust became  a  memorable  anniversary  for  the  Sons  of  Liberty, 
who  eight  years  later  in  1773,  celebrated  it  by  'a  festivity'  on 
Roxbury  Common."  The  opposition  which  the  Stamp  Act 
received  was  sufficient  finally  to  secure  its  repeal  by  an  act  of 
Parliament,  February  21,  1766,  that  received  the  approval  of 
the  king  Ma/ch  17,  1766.  Throughout  the  colonies  the  news 
of  the  repeal  "  was  received  with  every  conceivable  demonstra- 
tion of  joy."  "  The  principal  demonstrations  took  place  in 
Boston,  on  May  19,  1766.  An  obelisk  was  erected  on  the  Com- 
mon and  decked  with  lanterns  ;  Hancock  illuminated  his  house 
and  discharged  fireworks  in  front  of  it  from  a  stage ;  and  this 
was  responded  to  by  similar  demonstrations  by  the  Sons  of 
Liberty  at  the  workhouse." 

The  society  of  the  Sons  of  Liberty  in  Boston  exercised  com- 
manding influence  and  when,  on  the  ist  of  October,  1/68,  sev- 
eral hundred  British  soldiers  were  landed  at  Long  Wharf,  and 
marched  as  far  as  the  Common  where  a  portion  of  the  troops 
encamped,  the  remainder  were  "  allowed  by  the  Sons  of  Liberty, 
later  in  the  day,  to  occupy  Fanueil  Hall." 

There  is  record  of  a  dinner  given  by  the  Sons  of  Liberty  at 
Dorchester,  August  14,  1769. 

Many  and  important  were  the  events  that  transpired,  some  of 
which  are  repeated  in  contemporaneous  history,  but  concerning 
the  minor  details  of  which  there  is  much  obscurity,  owing  to  the 
exceeding  delicacy  of  the  position  occupied  by  the  colonists,  and 
the  absolute  secrecy  necessary  as  regards  the  personal  identity 
of  the  patriots  engaged  in  many  of  the  proceedings  of  those 
times.  Finally  came  Thursday,  December  16,  1773.  The  Old 
South  Church  was  filled  to  suffocation,  more  than  2000  people 
being  in  the  building.  The  meeting  had  been  called  because  of 
the  arrival  of  three  vessels  loaded  with  tea  which  it  had  been 
proposed  to  land  in  defiance  of  the  expressed  wishes  of  the 
people,  who  refused  to  pay  the  tax  the  representatives  of  the 
king  had  attempted  to  collect  thereon.  The  ships  were  moored 
off  Griffin's  Wharf,  now  Liverpool  Wharf,  near  the  foot  of 
Pearl  Street.  Addresses  were  made  by  Samuel  Adams,  Young, 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  155 

Roe,  Quincy,  and  others.  It  was  unanimously  resolved  that  the 
tea  should  not  be  landed.  Besides  the  large  crowd  in  the 
church,  it  is  estimated  that  more  than  7000  people  had  gathered 
on  the  outside.  Messengers  were  sent  to  the  governor  to  try 
to  persuade  him  to  arrange  for  the  return  of  the  vessels  without 
an  attempt  to  land  the  tea.  About  six  o'clock  the  messengers 
returned  and  reported  that  they  were  unsuccessful.  The  record 
from  which  we  quote  continues  :  - 

"  No  sooner  had  he  concluded  than  Samuel  Adams  arose  and 
said  :  'This  meeting  can  do  nothing  more  to  save  the  country.' 
Instantly  a  shout  was  heard  at  the  porch ;  the  war-whoop  resounded, 
and  a  band  of  forty  or  fifty  men,  disguised  as  Indians,  rushed 
by  the  door,  and  hurried  down  toward  the  harbor,  followed  by 
a  throng  of  people ;  guards  were  carefully  posted  according 
to  previous  arrangements  around  Griffin's  Wharf  to  prevent 
the  intrusion  of  spies.  The  '  Mohawks/  and  some  others  ac- 
companying them,  sprang  aboard  the  three  tea-ships  and 
emptied  the  contents  of  three  hundred  and  forty-two  chests  of 
tea  into  the  bay,  'without  the  least  injury  to  the  vessels  or  any 
other  property.'  No  one  interfered  with  them  ;  no  person  was 
harmed  ;  no  tea  was  allowed  to  be  carried  away.  There  was  no 
confusion,  no  noisy  riot,  no  infuriated  mob.  The  multitude 
stood  by  and  looked  on  in  solemn  silence,  while  the  weird-look- 
ing figures,  made  distinctly  visible  in  the  moonlight,  removed 
the  hatches,  tore  open  the  chests,  and  threw  the  entire  cargo 
overboard.  This  strange  spectacle  lasted  about  three  hours, 
and  then  the  people  all  went  home,  and  the  town  was  as  quiet 
as  if  nothing  had  happened.  The  next  day  the  fragments  of 
the  tea  were  seen  strewn  along  the  Dorchester  shore,  carried 
thither  by  the  wind  and  tide.  A  formal  declaration  of  the 
transaction  was  drawn  up  by  the  Boston  committee ;  and  Paul 
Revere  was  sent  with  despatches  to  New  York  and  Philadelphia, 
where  the  news  was  received  with  the  greatest  demonstrations 
of  joy.  In  Boston  the  feeling  was  that  of  intense  satisfaction 
proceeding  from  the  consciousness  of  having  exhausted  every 
possible  measure  of  legal  redress  before  undertaking  this  bold 
and  novel  mode  of  asserting  the  rights  of  the  people." 

Two  stanzas  describing  these  events  may  be  aptly  inserted 
here  from  a  poem  by  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes. 


156  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

"  Fast  spread  the  tempest's  darkening  pall ; 

The  mighty  realms  were  troubled ; 
The  storm  broke  loose,  but  first  of  all 

The  Boston  teapot  bubbled. 

"  The  lurid  morning  shall  reveal 

A  fire  no  king  can  smother, 
When  British  flint  and  Boston  steel, 

Have  clashed  against  each  other." 

There  is  record  that  in  March,  1774,  twenty-eight  and  one- 
half  chests  of  tea  were  disposed  of  by  similar  "  Indians."  Under 
date  of  January  10,  1774,  Samuel  Adams  wrote  to  James  Warren 
concerning  a  lot  of  tea  cast  on  shore  from  a  vessel  wrecked  off 
of  the  back  of  Cape  Cod,  and  which  had  been  brought  up  from 
the  cape  and  landed  at  Castle  William.  The  letter  goes  on  to 
say :  "  It  is  said  that  the  Indians  this  way,  if  they  had  suspected 
the  Marshpee  tribe  would  have  been  so  sick  at  the  knee,  would 
have  marched  on  snow-shoes  to  have  done  the  business  for 
them." 

We  are  particular  in  mentioning  these  facts  to  show,  that  the 
Sons  of  Liberty  did  make  use  of  the  forms  and  customs  of  the 
Indians  as  a  disguise  in  the  patriotic  work  in  which  they  were 
engaged.  Undoubtedly  their  leading  spirits  had  determined 
upon  separation  from  the  mother  government.  But  until  public 
sentiment  had  been  sufficiently  educated  to  sustain  an  open 
declaration  of  independence,  it  was  necessary  that  a  mantle  of 
secrecy  should  be  thrown  upon  their  acts,  which  if  successes 
were  patriotic,  but  if  failures  were  treasonable. 

We  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  Paul  Revere  was  sent  by 
the  Boston  committee  with  despatches  to  New  York  and  Phila- 
delphia. This  corroborates  the  claim  we  have  made,  that  these 
societies  were  united  by  secret  modes  of  communication,  and 
were  in  full  harmony  and  communion  in  the  common  work  in 
which  they  were  engaged.  The  connection  between  the  Sons 
of  Liberty  and  the  Saint  Tamina  Society  of  Annapolis,  Mary- 
land, is  clear  and  distinct.  While  the  Saint  Tamina  Society  of 
Maryland  was  the  first,  of  which  we  have  record,  to  use  the 
name  of  an  Indian  as  the  patron  saint  of  America  and  of  the 
said  organization,  the  Sons  of  Liberty  was  the  first  organization, 
of  which  we  have  record,  to  use  the  disguise  of  Indians  and 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  157 

presumably  their  forms  and  customs  for  the  patriotic  purposes 
for  which  they  were  organized. 

From  the  beginning  the  organization  seems  to  'have  been  in- 
spired by  the  purest  and  most  lofty  patriotism,  and  by  a  desire 
to  do  everything  that  should  be  done  for  the  benefit  of  the  col- 
onists, while  at  the  same  time,  as  we  have  remarked,  laying  the 
foundation  for  a  government  that  should  be  independent  of  Great 
Britain  and  properly  guard  the  mighty  continent  whichyhad  come 
into  their  possession  as  a  great  heritage,  and  whose  possibilities 
for  future  grandeur  and  power  they  even  then  dimly  foresaw  and 
realized. 

The  Non-Importation  Act  of  1770  was  warmly  supported  by 
the  Sons  of  Liberty;  and  in  the  Boston  Gazette  of  February  19, 
1770,  there  is  a  quaint  account  of  a  sewing-circle  composed  of 
45  daughters  of  liberty,  who  met  at  the  house  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Moorhead  and  spun  232  skeins  of  yarn.  It  is  mentioned  that 
their  entertainment  was  wholly  of  American  production,  except 
a  little  wine,  etc.  "  The  whole  was  concluded  with  many  agree- 
able tunes  and  liberty  songs,  with  great  judgment  ;  fine  voices 
performed  and  animated  on  this  occasion  in  all  the  several  parts 
by  a  number  of  the  Sons  of  Liberty." 

During  the  siege  of  Boston  the  famous  Liberty-tree,  under 
which  the  Sons  of  Liberty  used  to  hold  their  meetings,  was  cut 
down  "  amidst  the  sneers  and  taunts  of  the  soldiers  and  tories, 
who  had  not  forgotten  its  almost  personal  symbolism."  In  1833 
the  old  Liberty-Tree  Tavern  stood  upon  the  spot.  In  later  days 
this  in  turn  gave  place  to  the  present  business  block  now  occu- 
pying the  site  and  on  the  face  of  which  is  a  tablet  bearing  a 
representation  of  the  famous  Liberty-tree  and  an  appropriate 
inscription. 

Whether  the  persons  who  composed  the  Sons  of  Liberty  actu- 
ally took  part  in  the  hanging  in  effigy  of  Mr.  Hood,  who  was 
appointed  Stamp  Master  at  Annapolis,  Maryland,  in  the  year 
1765,  is  not  clearly  proved  by  history;  but  that  a  general  meet- 
ing or  convention  of  several  societies  of  the  Sons  of  Liberty 
did  take  place  in  the  town  of  Annapolis,  Md.,  in  the  year  1766, 
is  fully  authenticated  by  the  following  account  taken  from 
Ridgely's  Annals  of  Annapolis  : 

"In  March,  1766,  the  Sons  of  Liberty,  from  Baltimore,-  Kent, 


158  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

and  Anne  Arundel  counties,  met  at  this  place,  and  made  a 
written  application  to  the  chief  justice  of  the  provincial  court, 
the  secretary  and  commissary  general  and  judges  of  the  land 
office,  to  open  their  respective  offices,  and  to  proceed  as  usual 
in  the  execution  of  their  duties.  This  demand  was  complied 
with,  and  the  Stamp  Act  virtually  became  null  and  void." 

These  associations,  called  "the  Sons  of  Liberty,"  existed 
among  the  Northern  and  Middle  Colonies.  They  were  very 
active,  and  thoroughly  frightened  the  officers  appointed  to  dis- 
tribute the  stamps. 

Another  writer  says:  "They  opposed  the  distribution  of 
British  stamps  in  Maryland  ;  formed  themselves  into  associations 
called  "  Sons  of  Liberty,"  drove  the  stamp  distributers  from  the 
Province,  and  warned  all  the  officials  at  Annapolis  not  to  at- 
tempt the  execution  of  the  Stamp  Act  anywhere  upon  the  soil 
covered  by  Lord  Baltimore's  charter." 

At  this  time  there  existed  several  organizations  among  the 
foreign  citizens  of  Annapolis  and  other  sections,  each  of  which 
had  adopted  the  patronage  of  some  saint  of  European  extrac- 
tion, and  designated  the  society  by  his  name,  as  Saint  George's 
Society,  Saint  Andrew's  Society,  and  Saint  David's  Society. 
These  were  all  loyal  to  the  crown  of  Great  Britain,  and  it  was  at 
first  in  ridicule  of  them  that  the  Sons  of  Liberty  claimed  the 
patronage  of  an  undoubted  American,  an  Indian  Chief  or  King 
named  Tamina  or  Tamanend,  and  traced  a  legend  of  his  life 
and  exploits,  much  of  which  was  derived  from  his  own  de- 
scendants. 

In  the  year  1771,  the  Society  of  Sons  of  Liberty  adopted  the 
title  of  "Sons  of  Saint  Tamina,  or  Saint  Tamina  Society,"  and 
set  apart  the  first  day  of  May  as  their  anniversary. 

We  quote  from  our  former  authority,  Mr.  Ridgely,  in  his 
Annals  of  Annapolis,  who  says  : 

"In  this  year  (1771),  and  for  many  years  later,  there  existed 
in  the  town  of  Annapolis,  a  society  called  '  The  Saint  Tamina 
Society,'  who  set  apart  the  first  day  of  May  in  memory  of  Saint 
Tamina,  their  patron  saint,  whose  history  is  now  lost  in  fable 
and  uncertainty.  It  was  usual,  on  the  morning  of  this  day,  for 
the  members  of  the  Society  to  erect  in  some  public  location  in 
the  city,  'a  May-pole,'  and  to  decorate  it  in  a  most  tasteful 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES. 


159 


manner  with  wild  flowers,  gathered  from  the  adjacent  woods, 
and  forming  themselves  in  a  ring  around  it,  hand  in  hand,  per- 
form the  '  war-dance,'  with  many  other  customs  which  they  had 
seen  exhibited  by  the  '  Children  of  the  Forest.'  It  was  also 
usual,  on  this  day,  for  such  of  the  citizens  as  chose  to  enter 
into  the  amusements,  to  wear  a  piece  of  bucktail  in  their  hats, 
or  in  some  conspicuous  part  of  their  dress.  Genera^  invitations 
were  given  out,  and  a  large  company  usually  assembled  during 
the  course  of  the  evening,  and  whilst  engaged  in  the  midst  of 
a  dance,  the  company  would  be  interrupted  by  the  sudden 
intrusion  of  a  number  of  the  Saint  Tamina  Society,  habited 
like  Indians,  who,  rushing  violently  into  the  room,  singing  war 
songs  and  giving  the  'whoop,'  commenced  dancing  in  the  style 
of  that  people.  After  this  ceremony,  they  made  a  '  collection 
of  money,  and  retired  evidently  well  pleased  with  their  reception 
and  entertainment.' " 

After  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  the  Societies 
known  as  the  Sons  of  Saint  Tamina,  or  Sons  of  Liberty  (the 
titles  being  synonymous)  having  achieved  their  object,  namely, 
the  freedom  of  their  country  from  a  monarchical  yoke,  became 
less  prominent  in  public  affairs  as  organized  bodies  ;  and  it  was 
not  until  the  agitation  among  the  people,  arising  from  the 
difference  of  opinion  in  regard  to  adopting  a  permanent  form 
of  government,  became  the  all-absorbing  topic  among  all  classes, 
and  made  it  necessary,  in  their  opinion,  for  consolidating  their 
ranks,  that  they  again  assumed  commanding  influence. 

The  condition  of  the  country  after  the  close  of  the  war  was  to 
some  alarming  and  deplorable,  and  had  it  not  been  that  over  all 
the  glorious  banner  of  freedom  and  liberty  waved,  and  that 
there  were  men  prominent  at  that  time  whose  thought  and  aim 
was  the  public  good,  much  trouble  would  have  resulted  in  the 
colonies.  For  eight  long  years  the  colonies  had  been  the  scene 
of  continued  strife  and  bloodshed,  and  while  it  resulted  in  the 
achievement  of  the  political  independence  of  the  United  States, 
it  had  undoubtedly  done  much  to  change  the  character  of  the 
people.  It  has  been  said  "  that  an  army  is  always  corrupt,  and 
always  corrupts  the  society  which  holds  it  in  its  bosom."  While 
we  are  not  prepared  to  entirely  indorse  this  sentiment,  we  can 
say  that  undoubtedly  any  body  of  troops  quartered  for  any 


160  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

length  of  time  in  a  vicinity  leaves  an  indelible  impress  upon  the 
locality,  —  not  always  for  the  best. 

It  seems  inconsistent  with  common  sense,  and  yet  experience 
proves  its  truth,  that  a  body  of  troops  whose  business  it  is  to 
preserve  and  enforce  the  laws  of  a  land,  often  spreads  through 
a  community  a  spirit  of  lawlessness  hitherto  unknown  among 
its  citizens.  Such  a  spirit  was  rife  at  the 'end  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary War,  and  was  one  of  the  elements  with  which  those  who 
strove  for  the  common  good  had  to  contend.  The  condition 
of  the  country  at  large  was  deplorable.  Education  had  been 
almost  entirely  neglected  during  the  war,  and  irreligion  and  infi- 
delity had  been  introduced. 

"The  Revolution  opened  the  door  to  infidelity  in  two  ways. 
First,  by  introducing  foreign  fashions,  habits  and  modes  of  feel- 
ing, thinking  and  acting — a  practical  infidelity.  And,  secondly, 
by  introducing  from  England  and  France,  but  especially  the 
latter,  an  open  opposition  to  Christianity.  The  atheistical 
philosophy  of  Goodwin,  Rousseau,  Voltaire,  and  others  was 
spread  in  the  United  States  during  the  revolution  with  a  fearful 
rapidity." 

But  there  were  infidel  writers  in  our  own  country.  Ethan 
Allen's  "  Oracles  of  Reason  "  had  already  appeared.  Thomas 
Paine's  "  Common  Sense  "  written  to  aid  the  Revolution,  with 
much  truth  had  inculcated  some  error  and  paved  the  way  for 
his  other  and  more  objectionable  writings.  The  effect  of  all 
these  evil  influences  was  long  felt  in  the  country. 

Of  the  condition  of  the  colonies  at  this  time  Dr.  Ramsay,  of 
South  Carolina,  wrote  in  his  History  of  the  Revolution  :  — 

"  On  the  whole,  the  literary,  political,  and  military  talents  of 
the  United  States  have  been  improved  by  the  Revolution  ;  but 
their  moral  character  is  inferior  to  what  it  was.  So  great  is  the 
change  for  the  worse  that  the  friends  of  good  order  are  loudly 
called  upon  to  exert  their  utmost  abilities  in  extirpating  the 
vicious  principles  and  habits  which  have  taken  deep  root  during 
the  convulsion." 

It  could  not  but  be  expected  that  some  time  would  elapse, 
and  great  care  and  good  judgment  be  required,  before  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  colonies  could  be  settled  as  far  as  possible,  upon 
a  uniform  and  common  plan.  This  had  been  the  hope,  at  least, 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  161 

of  those  most  prominent  in  the  late  struggle.  It  must  not  be 
forgotten,  however,  that  while  the  majority  of  Americans  re- 
volted against  the  English  yoke,  yet  upon  American  soil  there 
were  others  who  felt  differently.  England  had  many  friends 
and  supporters  on  American  soil  —  some  who  would  gladly  have 
continued  under  her  sway  and  government.  Others  there  were, 
who,  objecting  to  the  rule  of  England,  still  preferred,  a  monar- 
chical form  of  government,  and  would  gladly  have  established  a 
throne  and  monarchy  within  the  confines  of  America. 

It  is  known  that  the  government  of  the  country  during  the 
Revolutionary  War  consisted  of  what  was  called  the  Continental 
Congress,  composed  of  members  deputed  by  the  several  colo- 
nies. They  held  their  sessions  at  Philadelphia  during  the 
greater  part  of  the  period. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  draft  a  declaration  of  the 
sentiment  of  this  Congress  with  regard  to  the  independence 
of  the  colonies.  This  committee  reported  the  Declaration  of 
Independence,  which  on  the  4th  of  July,  1776,  was  adopted. 
"  By  this  instrument  the  thirteen  American  colonies  declared 
themselves  free  and  independent  under  the  name  of  the 
Thirteen  United  States  of  America." 

"This  Declaration  of  Independence  was  received  everywhere 
throughout  the  Union  with  tokens  of  appreciation.  Such  was 
the  spirit  of  the  majority,  though  it  must  be  admitted  there 
were  those  who  viewed  the  whole  matter  in  a  very  different 
light." 

These  were,  of  course,  the  element  we  referred  to,  and  while 
not  powerful  enough  to  effect  such  a  change  as  they  desired, 
were  still  strong  enough  to  occasion  much  trouble  and  anxiety 
among  the  colonists.  The  country  was  burdened  with  an  im- 
mense debt  of  over  forty  millions  of  dollars.  Efforts  were 
made  to  reduce  this.  Opposition,  however,  for  the  time  pre- 
vented any  plan  proposed  being  executed.  Only  time,  prudent 
measures,  and  admonition  could  bring  order  out  of  such  a  chaos. 
That  this  was  done,  the  history  of  our  country  shows. 

Happy  indeed,  for  our  record  as  a  nation,  that  there  should 
have  lived  at  that  time  General  George  Washington,  for  to  all 
classes  of  people,  "  whether  federal  or  not,  (for  by  this  name 
the  friends  of  the  federal  government  were  known,) "  he  was 


1 62  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

acceptable  as  the  first  President  of  the  United  States.  "  Had 
he  been  as  ambitious  as  Napoleon,  or  even  as  Bolivar  or  Francia, 
he  might  have  been  dictator  for  life  as  well  as  they.  Such  a 
course  was  proposed  to  him  in  1782,  when  it  was  believed  that 
the  country  was  not  yet  ready  for  anything  but  a  qualified  mon- 
archy ;  but  he  turned  from  it  with  disdain." 

With  such  a  state  of  affairs  in  this  beloved  land,  it  was  appar- 
ent to  the  minds  of  those  patriotic  men  who  had  so  valiantly 
upheld  their  country's  cause,  that  it  behooved  the  Sons  of  Saint 
Tamina  to  be  ever  watchful  in  the  interests  of  their  beloved 
country,  and  so  we  find  them  again  rallying  under  the  banner 
of  their  patron  saint. 

They  saw,  with  alarm,  that  in  their  midst  were  many  who, 
although  opposed  to  foreign  rule,  and  although  they  had  entered 
freely  into  the  War  of  Independence,  were,  nevertheless,  strongly 
imbued  with  principles  of  royalty.  Added  to  this,  ambition 
held  sway  among  many  of  the  popular  leaders,  and  more  than 
one  aspirant  to  a  crown  and  sceptre  could  have  been  found,  and 
who  would  have  gained  many  supporters.  When,  finally,  a  propo- 
sition to  elect  a  President  and  Congress  for  life  was  made,  this 
element  of  the  people,  deservedly  called  the  "  popular  element 
of  the  people,"  took  alarm,  and  when,  in  addition  to  this,  the 
Society  of  the  Cincinnati  was  formed,  the  constitution  of  which 
made  membership  hereditary,  which  was  a  strong  anti-republican 
feature  and  obnoxious  to  the  masses,  the  defenders  of  freedom 
recognizing  the  fact  that,  "  Eternal  vigilance  is  the  price  of 
liberty,"  instituted  or  rather  reinstated,  the  old  society  of  the 
Sons  of  Saint  Tamina  under  the  name  of  "  Tammany  Society 
or  Columbian  Order." 

We  will  now  refer  briefly  to  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati,  as 
we  have  mentioned  the  effect  its  organization  had  upon  the  mind 
of  the  general  public.  It  was  composed  chiefly,  if  not  entirely, 
of  the  military,  and,  indeed,  owed  its  existence  to  a  desire  on 
the  part  of  the  officers  of  the  Revolutionary  army  at  the  close 
of  the  War,  to  perpetuate  the  bonds  of  friendly  feeling  which 
their  continued  and  constant  intercourse  had  created,  and  also 
that  they  might  have  some  spot  or  trysting  place  where,  in  after 
years,  they  might  meet  to  revive  old  associations,  renew  old 
friendships,  and  perpetuate,  through  posterity,  the  record  of 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  163 

those  deeds  by  which  such  wonderful  results  had  been  achieved. 
General  Knox  was  the  originator  of  the  idea  which  led  to  the 
formation  of  the  Society.  He  first  obtained  General  Washing- 
ton's approval  of  the  plan.  A  meeting  of  officers  was  held,  and 
a  committee  appointed  to  draft  a  plan  for  the  formation  of  the 
Society.  They  did  so,  and  at  a  meeting  held  at  the  house  of 
General  Steuben,  near  Newburg,  N.  Y.,  on  the  i3*h  of  May, 
1783,  the  plan  which  they  had  formulated  was  adopted.  Their 
idea  of  naming  the  Society  after  the  famous  Roman,  Cincin- 
natus,  was  well  taken,  for  there  was,  in  many  respects,  a  simi- 
larity between  his  life  and  theirs.  History  tells  us  that  this 
noted  Roman  lived  about  five  hundred  years  previous  to  the 
birth  of  Christ.  Among  his  countrymen,  he  was  so  noted  for 
his  integrity  and  honesty,  that  he  was  chosen  by  the  Roman 
Senate  as  Consul.  So  great  was  the  simplicity  of  the  man  that, 
when  messengers  were  sent  to  appraise  him  of  his  election  to 
this  office,  they  found  him  tilling  the  soil  of  his  farm.  At  the 
expiration  of  his  term  of  office,  he  returned  to  his  former  simple 
mode  of  life,  as  Washington  did,  only  to  be  again  and  again 
called  to  assume  the  leadership  and  control  of  a  people  to  whom 
he  was  devotedly  attached. 

The  points  of  resemblance  of  character  between  him  and 
their  beloved  Washington  ;  his  mode  of  life  which  had  its  coun- 
terpart in  many  of  theirs  (for  in  laying  down  the  sword,  many 
took  up  the  ploughshare) ;  and  his  devoted  patriotism,  made  him 
in  their  eyes,  a  worthy  model  and  name-giver  to  the  Society  of 
which  they  expected  such  happy  results.  This  idea  was  shown 
in  their  incorporation,  for  at  this  meeting  before  spoken  of,  they 
reported  that,  "the  officers  of  the  American  army,  having  gen- 
erally been  taken  from  the  citizens  of  America,  possess  a  high 
veneration  for  the  character  of  that  illustrious  Roman,  Lucius 
Ouintius  Cincinnatus,  and  being  resolved  to  follow  his  example 
by  returning  to  their  citizenship,  they  think  they  may,  with  pro- 
priety, denominate  themselves  the  "  Society  of  the  Cincinnati." 

Care  was  also  taken  to  state  distinctly  and  fully  the  object  for 
which  the  society  was  designated. 

"  To  perpetuate,  therefore,  as  well  the  remembrance  of  this 
vast  event  as  the  mutual  friendship  which  had  been  formed 
under  the  pressure  of  common  dangers,  and,  in  many  instances, 


164  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

cemented  by  the  blood  of  the  parties,  the  officers  of  the  Ameri- 
can army  do  hereby,  in  the  most  solemn  manner,  associate,  con- 
stitute, and  combine  themselves  into  one  society  of  friends,  to 
endure  as  long  as  they  shall  endure,  or  any  of  their  eldest  male 
posterity  ;  and  in  failure  thereof  the  collateral  branches,  who  may 
be  judged  worthy  of  becoming  its  supporters  and  members." 

There  was  to  be  one  general  society,  which  was  sub-divided 
into  State  societies,  these  to  be  farther  divided  into  districts. 

"The  State  Society  was  expected  to  meet  annually  on  the  first 
Monday  in  May,  so  long  as  they  should  deem  it  necessary,  and 
afterwards  at  least  once  in  every  three  years." 

Its  object,  besides  cementing  "the  cordial  affection  subsisting 
between  the  officers,"  was  "  to  extend  the  most  substantial  acts 
of  beneficence,  according  to  the  ability  of  the  society,  towards 
those  officers  and  their  families,  who,  unfortunately,  may  be 
under  the  necessity  of  receiving  it." 

The  fund  from  which  this  benefit  was  derived  was  made  up 
by  each  officer  paying  to  the  Treasurer  of  his  State's  Society 
"  one  month's  pay,"  and  the  interest  of  the  fund  thus  created 
was  used  to  alleviate  the  wants  of  the  distressed. 

They  also  embodied  within  their  constitution  the  following 
glowing  principles  : 

"An  incessant  attention  to  preserve  inviolate  those  exalted 
rights  and  liberties  of  human  nature,  for  which  they  fought  and 
bled,  and  without  which  the  high  rank  of  a  rational  being  is  a 
curse  instead  of  a  blessing.  An  unalterable  determination  to 
promote  and  cherish,  between  the  respective  States,  that  unison 
and  national  honor  so  essentially  necessary  to  their  happiness 
and  the  future  dignity  of  the  American  empire." 

Its  officers  consisted  of  President,  Vice-President,  Secretary, 
Treasurer,  and  Assistant  Treasurer.  These  were  elected  annu- 
ally by  a  majority  vote  of  the  members. 

General  Washington  was  the  first  President  and  held  that 
position  for  16  years.  After  his  death  General  Alexander 
Hamilton  succeeded  him.  He  held  the  position  six  years. 
Death  also  relieved  him  from  the  duties  of  the  office,  the  duel 
with  Aaron  Burr  terminating  his  life. 

It  would  seem  from  the  standpoint  of  to-day  that  the  fact  of 
such  men  as  Washington,  General  Knox,  and  others  of  like  char- 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  165 

acter  and  position  being  connected  with  the  Society  of  the  Cin- 
cinnati would  have  been  sufficient  to  give  it  a  hold  upon  the 
public  favor,  and  probably  this  would  have  been  so  but  for  the 
following  causes.  It  will  be  seen  that  by  the  constitution  or 
plan  of  the  Society,  its  members  were  pledged  to  maintain  in 
undisguised  harmony  the  union  of  the  States.  This  was  not 
altogether  pleasing  to  many  who  were  sticklers  for  distinct  State 
sovereignty,  for  as  yet  the  Articles  of  Confederation  were  practi- 
cally untried,  and  many  preferred  a  form  of  independence  and 
freedom  in  State  government. 

Secondly,  it  was  exclusive,  being  intended  for  the  perpetuation 
of  kind  feeling  between  "the  officers  of  the  American  Army," 
which,  of  course,  debarred  many  from  membership. 

Thirdly,  it  savored  to  many  of  a  return  to  the  customs  at  least 
of  royalty,  in  the  transmission  of  hereditary  rights,  and  also  as 
unjustly  elevating  the  military  above  the  mass  of  the  people. 

Consequently  the  "  Society  of  the  Cincinnati  "  was  denounced 
by  the  mass  of  the  people,  who  regarded  it  as  harmful  to  the 
good  and  liberty  of  the  nation.  Not  here  was  to  be  found 
material  to  furnish  the  bone  and  sinew  which  had  been  so 
helpful  in  the  late  war.  Not  here  was  to  be  found  a  society 
which  would  be  in  hearty  sympathy  with  the  demands  and  needs 
of  a  common  people.  Not  here,  but  from  among  themselves, 
must  this  material  be  found,  and,  accordingly,  in  the  minds  of  a 
faithful  few  of  Tamina's  band,  this  idea  finally  blossomed  into 
fruit  in  the  resuscitation  of  the  old  society. 

The  need  having  been  recognized  of  a  society  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  rights  of  the  people  at  large,  or  the  masses  of  the 
people,  the  Sons  of  Saint  Tamina  being  ready  to  undertake  the 
formation  of  such  a  society,  the  result  was,  as  we  have  said, 
the  organization  of  the  Saint  Tamina  Society  or  Columbian 
Order. 

The  question  of  government  was  the  all-absorbing  topic  of 
the  day,  and  we  find  that  the  discussion  of  adopting  the  Federal 
Constitution  really  divided  the  country  into  two  distinct  parties. 
Prominent  men,  among  whom  were  Jay,  Hamilton,  and  Chancel- 
lor Livingston,  were  strenuous  in  advocating  it  upon  the  ground 
that  it  was  the  most  energetic  government  they  could  obtain. 
They  were  as  strongly  opposed  by  men  equally  prominent, 


1 66  IMPROVED   ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

among  whom  were  George  Clinton,  Governor  of  New  York, 
Robert  Yates,  and  others.  "  The  opponents  of  the  Constitu- 
tion did  not  profess  to  be  adverse  to  a  confederation,  but  they 
looked  upon  the  project  before  them  as  an  attempt  at  consolida- 
tion, and  the  erection  of  an  irresponsible  power  to  destroy  the 
sovereignty  of  the  States." 

History  shows  us  that  the  Constitution  was  adopted,  that  the 
Tammany  Society  was  formed,  and  that  it  numbered  for  years 
among  its  ranks  moderate  men  of  both  parties  (Federal  and  anti- 
Federal).  Being  composed  of  the  more  conservative  element  of 
both  parties,  it  was,  of  course,  free  from  any  charge  of  being 
"  a  party  institution."  As  the  years  go  on,  we  will  see  in  tracing 
its  history  that  this  trait  or  characteristic  changed,  and  that  in 
the  administration  of  Jefferson,  it  became  distinctly  known  as 
the  organ  of  one  party,  or  as  embracing  within  it  the  character- 
istics peculiar  to  one  political  party  of  the  United  States. 

The  formal  organization  of  this  association  took  place  on  the 
twelfth  day  of  May,  1789,  in  the  city  of  New  York,  and  was 
accomplished  principally  through  the  efforts  of  William  Mooney, 
an  American  by  birth,  but  of  Irish  descent,  who  had  been  a 
leader  among  the  "  Liberty  Boys  "  during  the  Revolution.  He 
entered  into  the  Revolutionary  War  with  the  enthusiastic  spirit 
characterizing  the  race  of  which  he  was  a  descendant,  and  upon 
the  close  of  the  struggle  was  still  as  ready  as  at  its  beginning  to 
serve  his  country  in  whatever  way  he  could.  After  the  war  he 
entered  into  mercantile  life  on  Nassau  Street,  New  York  City, 
as  an  upholsterer,  but  afterwards  moved  to  Maiden  Lane,  and 
still  later  to  Chatham  Street.  Through  all  his  life  he  was  an 
active  partisan,  and  was  rewarded  substantially  by  the  party 
whose  cause  he  espoused. 

The  first  constitution  of  this  Society  declared  that  it  was 
formed  "to  connect  in  indissoluble  bonds  of  Friendship,  Ameri- 
can brethren  of  known  attachment  to  the  political  rights  of 
human  nature  and  the  liberty  of  the  country." 

The  following  account  of  the  formation  of  this  Society  is  taken 
from  its  history  written  by  R.  G.  Horton,  Esq.,  and  published 
by  authority  of  the  Tammany  Society  of  New  York  in  1867. 

On  the  twelfth  day  of  May,  1789,  about  two  weeks  after 
General  George  Washington  had  taken  the  oath  of  office  as 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  167 

first  President  of  the  United  States  in  the  balcony  of  the  old 
City  Hall,  at  the  foot  of  Nassau  Street,  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
the  organization  known  as  the  Tammany  Society  or  Columbian 
Order  was  instituted.  Various  parties  had  existed  before  and 
during  the  Revolution  in  different  sections  of  the  country  under 
the  name  of  Sons  of  Saint  Tammany  or  Tamina.  This  body 
was  organized  by  William  Mooney,  whose  purpose  in/so  doing 
was  patriotic  and  purely  republican,  and  the  constitution  pro- 
vided by  his  care  contained  a  solemn  asservation,  which  every 
member  was  required  to  repeat  and  subscribe  to,  "  that  he  would 
sustain  the  State  institutions,  and  resist  the  consolidation  of 
power  in  the  general  government." 

Mooney,  in  the  first  instance,  intended  to  do  no  reverence  to 
Tamina,  the  distinguished  and  honored  native  American  chief- 
tain. His  idea  was  to  confer  the  honor  upon  Columbus,  the 
discoverer  of  America,  as  evidenced  by  the  name  of  the  Society, 
which  was  to  be  styled  the  "Columbian  Order,"  and  to  the 
public  belongs  the  credit  of  naming  it  the  Saint  Tammany  Soci- 
ety, the  uninitiated  supposing  it  to  be  one  of  the  many  Saint 
Tamina  Societies  that  were  scattered  throughout  the  South  and 
West. 

Seeing  that  the  Indian  name  was  popular,  Mooney  and  his 
associates  concluded  to  give  Columbus  a  second  place  in  the 
title  of  the  Order.  They  therefore  accepted  the  Red  Chieftain 
as  their  divinity,  and  named  their  organization  the  Tammany 
Society  or  Columbian  Order.  Although  the  Society  after- 
wards became  purely  a  political  institution,  it  was  not  so  at  its 
organization.  As  we  have  before  said,  the  feature  of  distinct 
party  affiliation  was  introduced  during  the  time  of  Jefferson. 
Until  then,  it  was  composed  of  men  of  different  political  opin- 
ions. It  incorporated  a  benevolent  feature  in  its  organization, 
as  its  charter  shows,  and  in  the  earlier  days  of  its  existence,  the 
Tammany  Society  was  made  the  means  of  rendering  assistance 
to  needy  and  worthy  objects.  Soon,  however,  its  attractions 
became  of  a  social  nature,  owing  to  its  meetings  being  held  at 
public  houses,  and  conviviality  often  took  the  place  of  patriotism 
and  benevolence. 

The  Society  having  been  instituted  on  the  twelfth  day  of 
May,  that  day  was  adopted  as  the  anniversary  of  the  Order, 


168  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

instead  of  the  first  of  May  previously  celebrated  by  the  old 
Saint  Tamina  Societies,  and  the  anniversary  of  the  formation 
of  the  Society  was  celebrated  by  a  grand  festival  on  the  banks 
of  the  Hudson  River. 

On  that  occasion,  tents  or  wigwams  were  erected  about  two 
miles  from  the  city  of  New  York,  for  the  reception  and  accom- 
modation of  the  brethren,  the  calumet  of  peace  was  smoked, 
and  the  tomahawk  was  buried.  After  engaging  in  various  In- 
dian dances,  and  other  recreations  so  popular  at  the  time,  until 
the  close  of  the  day,  the  company  returned  to  the  city,  where 
the  amusements  were  continued. 

The  officers  or  chiefs  for  the  first  year  of  the  Societies  were 
as  follows :  Grand  Sachem,  William  Mooney ;  Sachems,  White 
Mattack,  Oliver  Glenn,  Philip  Hone,  James  Tylie,  John  Camp- 
bell, Gabriel  Furman,  John  Burger,  Jonathan  Pierce,  Thomas 
Greenleaf,  Abel  Hardenbrook,  Courtlandt  Van  Beuren,  and 
Joseph  Godwin ;  Treasurer,  Thomas  Ash  ;  Secretary,  Anthony 
Ernest ;  Wiskinkie,  or  Doorkeeper,  Gardiner  Baker. 

The  Society  adopted  Indian  forms,  ceremonies,  and  costumes, 
and  divided  the  year  into  seasons  and  the  seasons  into  moons. 
The  season  of  Snow  embraced  the  months  of  December,  Janu- 
ary, and  February ;  the  season  of  Blossoms,  March,  April,  and 
May ;  the  season  of  Fruits,  June,  July,  and  August ;  and  the 
season  of  Hunting,  September,  October,  and  November. 

All  the  transactions  of  the  Society  were  dated  from  three 
eras  :  First,  its  own  organization  ;  second,  our  national  indepen- 
dence ;  third,  the  discovery  of  America. 

In  the  formation  of  the  13  Tribes  into  which  the  Society 
was  divided,  13  Sachems  were  elected,  from  which  number  one 
was  selected  as  the  Grand  Sachem.  All  of  their  customs  were 
borrowed  from  Indian  tribes,  which  were  then  so  numerous  in 
the  country,  and  it  was  claimed  that  this  was  done  to  conciliate, 
as  far  as  possible,  those  tribes  of  red  men  who  were  devastating 
the  defenceless  frontiers,  and  this  did,  in  fact,  prove  of  some 
avail  during  the  year  following  the  institution  of  the  Society, 
averting,  in  all  probability,  a  bloody  war  with  the  Creek  Indians. 

Mention  is  made  in  the  records  of  the  society  of  the  "  Council 
Fire,"  "Calumet"  or  pipe  of  peace,  and  the  "Tomahawk" 
which  was  always  buried  when  the  pipe  of  peace  was  smoked. 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  169 

The  manner  of  admission  was  by  being  proposed  at  one  meeting, 
and  elected  at  the  next,  and  it  required  the  vote  of  every  mem- 
ber present  to  elect  an  applicant.  The  initiation  fee  was  three 
dollars,  and  the  annual  dues  one  dollar.  At  the  initiation  of  a 
candidate,  the  ceremony  was  enlivened  by  the  singing  of  the 

following  ode  or  chant :  — 

/ 
ODE. 

•  "  SacrecTs  the  ground  where  Freedom's  found, 

And  Virtue  stamps  her  name ; 
Our  hearts  entwine  at  Friendship's  shrine, 
And  Union  fans  the  flame  ; 
Our  hearts  sincere 
Shall  greet  you  here, 
With  joyful  voice 
Confirm  your  choice. 
Et-hoh !     Et-hoh !     Et-hoh ! " 

The  division  of  the  Society  into  thirteen  branches  denomi- 
nated Tribes,  was  in  imitation  of  the  thirteen  nations  of  Saint 
Tamina's  kingdom,  and  when  it  was  found  by  a  coincidence 
that  this  number  corresponded  with  the  thirteen  original  States 
of  the  Union,  a  name  or  "  totem  "  was  given  to  each  State,  of 
which  the  following  record  has  been  preserved  :  — 

New  York  was  given  the  Eagle  ;  New  Hampshire,  the  Otter ; 
Massachusetts,  the  Panther ;  Rhode  Island,  the  Beaver ;  Con- 
necticut, the  Bear;  New  Jersey,  the  Tortoise;  Maryland,  the 
Fox ;  Pennsylvania,  the  Rattlesnake ;  Delaware,  the  Tiger ; 
Virginia,  the  Deer ;  North  Carolina,  the  Buffalo ;  South  Caro- 
lina, the  Raccoon ;  and  Georgia,  the  Wolf. 

When  a  member  joined  the  Society,  he  either  chose  one  of 
these  Tribes  as  he  preferred,  or  he  was  assigned  to  one  by  the 
Grand  Sachem. 

At  the  installation  or  raising  up  of  the  Grand  Sachem,  there 
was  sung  the  "  Et-hoh  "  or  sacred  song,  commencing 

"  Brothers  our  council  fire  shines  bright,  Et-hoh !  " 

Every  applicant  for  membership  was  required  to  be  vouched 
for  by  a  member  "that  he  was  a  true  republican,  and  firmly 
attached  to  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States." 

The  Society  adopted  the  word  Friendship  for  its  motto,  after 


1 70  IMPROVED   ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

the  example  of  the  old  Order  of  Saint  Tamina,  whose  watchword 
was  Freedom,  and  those  mottoes  have  been  preserved  in  the 
present  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  with  the  addition  of  the 
motto  Charity,  thus  suggesting  the  chain  of  connecting  links  — 
Sons  of  Liberty,  1765  ;  Sons  of  Saint  Tamina,  1771  ;  Saint 
Tamina  Society,  1789;  Society  of  Red  Men,  1813-16;  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men,  1833. 

In  the  year  1789-90,  a  matter  of  dispute  arose  between  the 
United  States  government  and  the  Creek  Indians,  which  for  a 
time  threatened  serious  consequences,  and  in  order  to  bring 
about  a  settlement  of  the  difficulty,  Col.  Marinus  Willett,  was 
sent  by  Congress  to  confer  with  Alexander  McGilvey,  a  half- 
breed  of  great  influence  with  that  nation,  and  induced  him,  to- 
gether with  about  thirty  chiefs  of  the  Creeks,  to  accompany  him 
to  the  city  of  New  York  on  a  visit  to  the  Great  Father,  General 
Washington.  The  Tammany  Society,  on  learning  of  the  pro- 
posed visit,  and  desirous  to  conciliate  the  Indians,  determined 
to  receive  them  with  a  great  display  of  ceremony  and  savage 
pomp.  The  members  were  accustomed  to  dress  in  Indian  cos- 
tumes, and  on  this  occasion  wore  feathers,  moccasins,  and 
leggings,  painted  their  faces  in  true  Indian  style,  and  sported 
huge  war-clubs,  knives,  and  tomahawks. 

The  following  report  of  Colonel  Willet  to  the  United  States 
military  authorities,  is  found  on  page  1 1 2  of  the  Military  Actions 
of  Colonel  Willett  in  the  Congressional  Library  at  Washing- 
ton, D.  C.  :  - 

"  On  Tuesday,  the  2oth,  I  left  Philadelphia  at  the  dawn  of 
day  —  arrived  at  Elizabeth  Point  at  four  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon, from  which  place  just  at  dusk  I  set  out  for  New  York  in 
a  row-boat,  landed  at  White  Hall  rock  between  nine  and  ten 
o'clock.  Set  out  again  for  Elizabeth  Town  Point  at  two  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  at  which  place  I  arrived  at  six  o'clock,  where  I 
found  a  sloop  which  had  been  sent  from  New  York  to  transport 
us  to  that  place.  Embarked  on  board  the  sloop  with  the  In- 
dians for  New  York.  We  landed  about  noon,  near  the  coffee- 
house, and  were  received  with  great  splendor  by  the  Tammany 
Society  in  the  dress  of  their  Order ;  conducted  up  Wall  Street 
past  the  Federal  Hall  where  Congress  was  in  session,  and  with 
great  pomp  and  parade  escorted  to  see  the  President.  The 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES. 


171 


Indians,  with  additional  parade,  visited  the  Minister  of  War  and 
Governor  Clinton,  where  an  elegant  entertainment  finished  the 
day." 

In  addition  to  what  is  detailed  in  Colonel  Willett's  report, 
it  may  be  stated  that  the  Indians  were  also  conducted  to  the 
Wigwam  of  the  Tammany  Society,  on  entering  which,  they  were 
so  surprised  at  the  preparations  made  to  receive  theuft,  and  at 
the  number  (as  they  supposed)  of  their  own  race  present,  that 
they  "  uttered  a  whoop,"  which  almost  terrified  the  people,  in- 
cluding the  mock  Indians.  They  seemed  overjoyed  by  the 
manner  in  which  they  were  treated,  so  much  so  that  they  per- 
formed a  dance  and  sang  the  "  Et-hoh  "  song,  an  Indian  ode 
sung  only  on  great  occasions. 

The  Calumet  of  Peace  was  smoked,  and  so  well  were  they 
pleased  by  the  speech  delivered  to  them  by  the  Grand  Sachem, 
William  Pitt  Smith,  in  which  he  told  them  that  "  although  the 
hand  of  death  was  cold  upon  the  two  great  chiefs  Tamina  and 
Columbus,  yet  their  spirits  were  still  walking  to  and  fro  in  the 
wigwam,"  that  they  gave  him  the  title  of  "  Tuliva  Mico  "  or  Chief 
of  the  White  Town. 

In  the  evening  they  were  taken  to  the  theatre  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Society,  and  before  their  departure  to  their  own 
territory,  they  entered  into  a  treaty  of  peace  and  friendship  with 
Washington,  the  "  Beloved  Sachem  of  the  Thirteen  Fires,"  as 
they  termed  him. 

Thus  it  may  be  said  that  the  dreaded  war  with  this  nation, 
at  that  time  one  of  the  most  powerful,  was  averted  and  peace 
secured,  mainly  through  the  efforts  of  the  Tammany  Society. 
In  June,  1790,  the  Society  established  a  museum  for  the  pur- 
pose of  collecting  and  preserving  everything  of  historical  value. 
This  was  called  the  Tammany  Museum,  and  every  member  of 
the  Society  had  free  access  to  it  for  himself  and  family.  After 
changing  hands  several  times,  this  museum  formed  the  founda- 
tion of  what  was  afterwards  called  Scudder's  Museum.  In  the 
year  1805,  the  Society  was  incorporated  under  the  name  of 
"the  Tammany  Society."  It  maintained  its  Indian  organiza- 
tion and  continued  to  use  Indian  costumes,  ceremonies,  and 
habits  as  late  as  the  year  1811,  and  we  read  that  on  May  13, 
1811,  corner  of  Nassau  and  Frankfort  Streets,  they  laid  the 


172  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

corner-stone  of  their  new  hall,  and  marched  from  their  old 
wigwam  in  "  Martling's  Long  Room,"  in  Indian  file,  wearing 
their  aboriginal  costumes.  Martling's  Long  Room  was  situated 
at  the  corner  of  Spruce  and  Nassau  Streets.  The  new  hall  was 
occupied  by  the  Society  until  its  removal  in  1867  to  the  present 
Tammany  Hall. 

During  the  war  of  1812-14,  the  members  of  the  Tammany 
Society  offered  their  services  in  the  defence  of  the  city  of  New 
York,  and  repaired  in  a  body  to  the  forts,  volunteering  and  per- 
forming patriotic  duty  and  the  labor  of  erecting  and  manning 
the  redoubts  against  the  British.  After  peace  was  declared, 
the  Society  relapsed  into  a  political  organization,  and  has  since 
remained  so,  exerting  a  powerful  influence  in  political  circles. 

One  fact  in  connection  with  the  Society  worthy  of  honorable 
record,  and  which  should  be  ever  remembered  by  the  American 
people  with  gratitude,  occurred  in  the  year  1807-8. 

During  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  the  British  prison  ships  at 
"  Wallabout  "  were  crowded  with  prisoners,  and  from  inhuman 
treatment,  scanty  food,  and,  in  many  cases,  no  food  at  all, 
together  with  the  ravages  of  disease,  the  Americans  had  died 
at  a  fearful  rate,  and  their  bones  had  been  permitted  to  bleach 
upon  the  shores.  Repeated  calls  had  been  made  upon  Congress 
to  bury  these  bones  at  the  public  expense,  which,  however,  were 
unheeded.  The  Tammany  Society  at  length  determined  to  per- 
form the  sacred  duty  of  interment,  and  appointed  a  committee 
to  carry  this  determination  into  effect.  The  magnitude  of  the 
undertaking  can  best  be  realized  from  the  following  stanza  from 
the  pen  of  Phillip  Freneau,  a  most  gifted  poet  of  Revolutionary 
times,  the  college-mate  and  warm  friend  of  President  Madison:  — 

"  Each  day  at  least  six  carcases  we  bore, 
And  scratched  their  graves  upon  the  shore ; 
By  feeble  hands  the  graves  were  made  — 
No  stone  memorial  o'er  their  corpses  laid. 
In  barren  sands  and  far  from  home  they  lie  — 
No  friend  to  shed  a  tear  in  passing  by ; 
O'er  the  mean  tombs  the  insulting  Britons  tread, 
Spurn  at  the  sand,  and  curse  the  Rebel  dead.  " 

By  the  most  reliable  accounts,  not  less  than  11,500  souls 
perished  on  board  the  prison  ships  moored  in  the  East  River. 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  173 

Paine  predicted  that  before  America  would  submit  to  England, 
the  bones  of  3,000,000  of  her  citizens  would  whiten  her  shores. 
So  far  was  this  prediction  verified,  that  the  bones  of  11,500 
victims  to  British  cruelty  had  indeed  whitened  the  shores  of 
Wallabout,  and  were  buried  by  the  Tammany  Society. 

"Tammany  Society  took  up  the  subject  in  1803,"  and  en- 
deavored to  obtain  assistance  from  Congress,  without/success. 
Finally,  in  1807,  "when  it  became  evident  that  Congress  would 
do  nothing"  in  the  matter,  a  committee  called  "the  Wallabout 
Committee  "  was  appointed,  to  take  measures  for  carrying  the 
long-contemplated  design  of  interment  into  effect.  This  com- 
mittee reported  in  1808,  and  immediate  measures  were  taken  to 
carry  into  effect  their  suggestions.  The  corner-stone  of  the 
tomb  was  laid  on  the  I3th  of  April,  1808,  when  a  grand  and 
imposing  procession  was  formed  under  the  direction  of  Major 
Aycregg,  Grand  Marshal.  The  military  companies  and  civic 
societies  united  with  the  Tammany  Society  and  proceeded  to 
the  spot,  where  Joseph  D.  Fay,  the  orator  of  the  day,  delivered 
an  eloquent  and  impassioned  oration.  Referring  to  those  who 
had  perished  for  the  love  they  bore  their  country,  he  said :  "  On 
this  day  we  lay  the  corner-stone  of  their  tomb.  Their  ashes 
hitherto  have  been  blown  about  like  summer's  dust  in  the  whirl- 
wind. But  the  marble  column  shall  rise  on  this  spot,  and  tell 
to  future  ages  the  story  that  they  had  to  choose  death  or 
slavery,  and  that  they  nobly  elected  the  former.  The  curious 
mariner  shall  point  to  it  in  silent  admiration,  as  he  passes  at  a 
distance,  and  posterity  shall  call  it  'the  tomb  of  the  Patriots."1 

The  result  being  completed,  the  Society  fixed  on  the  25th  of 
May  of  the  same  year,  for  consigning  the  bones  to  their  final 
resting-place ;  but  the  weather  proving  too  stormy,  the  cere- 
mony was  postponed  until  the  26th,  when  one  of  the  largest  and 
most  magnificent  funeral  pageants  which  this  city  has  ever  wit- 
nessed took  place.  Garret  Sickles  was  the  Grand  Marshal  of 
the  day.  The  first  feature  in  the  procession  was  a  trumpeter 
mounted  on  a  black  horse,  carrying  in  his  hand  a  black  flag, 
upon  which  was  inscribed  in  letters  of  gold,  "  Mortals,  avaunt ! 
11,500  Spirits  of  the  Martyred  Braves!  Approach  the  tomb  of 
Honor,  of  Glory,  of  Virtuous  Patriotism  !  " 

"Then  followed   the  military  under  command  of  Brigadier.- 


174  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

General  Morton,  and  immediately  after,  the  Wallabout  Commit- 
tee, each  member  with  a  bucktail  in  his  hat.  Then  came  the 
Tammany  Society,  headed  by  Benjamin  Romaine,  Grand  Sachem, 
with  all  the  insignia  of  their  Order,  making  a  most  impressive 
display.  The  municipal  governments  of  New  York  and  Brook- 
lyn came  next  (De  Witt  Clinton  was  then  mayor  of  the  city) 
followed  by  the  Governor  of  the  State,  D.  D.  Tompkins,  and 
Lieutenant-Governor  John  Broome,  members  of  Congress,  mili- 
tary and  naval  officers  of  the  United  States,  and  finally  all  the 
various  civic  societies  of  the  city.  The  procession  proceeded 
through  the  principal  streets,  crossed  to  Brooklyn,  and  moved 
to  the  vault  in  Hudson  Avenue,  near  York  Street,  which  was  to 
contain  the  remains  of  the  patriot  dead.  Dr.  Benjamin  De  Witt 
delivered  the  oration,  which  he  had  prepared  at  the  request  of 
the  Tammany  Society.  After  its  conclusion,  the  coffins  were 
deposited  in  the  tomb,  and  the  procession  returned  to  the  city." 

By  this  act  this  Society,  which  as  "  the  Sons  of  Liberty  "  had 
assisted  in  the  defence  of  their  country's  rights,  and  as  the  Sons 
of  Saint  Tamina  had  protected  the  claims  of  the  people  at  large, 
delivered  their  beloved  country  from  "the  disgrace  which  justly 
attached  to  our  country  for  the  neglect  which  it  showed  to  the 
memory  of  these  brave  men,"  and  added  fresh  laurels  to  their 
ever-increasing  fame  as  the  Tammany  Society  or  Columbian 
Order. 

The  extended  description  given  of  the  Tammany  Society  of 
New  York  is  justified  by  the  fact  that  it  is  the  only  branch  of  the 
patriotic  organizations  founded  in  the  latter  half  of  the  eighteenth 
century  which  has  maintained  an  unbroken  existence  from  its 
institution  down  to  the  present  time.  That  period  of  its  history 
which  has  been  here  related  covers  the  time  when  it  was  really 
a  patriotic  and  benevolent  institution,  and  before  it  had  been 
changed  from  its  original  purposes  into  a  political  organization. 
It  is  hardly  necessary  to  add  that,  of  course,  there  is  not  the 
slightest  connection  between  the  Tammany  Society  of  New 
York  and  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  except  the  common 
origin  in  the  patriotic  societies  existing  over  100  years  ago. 

To  properly  understand  the  prominent  place  occupied  by  the 
Societies  of  Saint  Tammany  from  1771  to  1820,  it  is  necessary 
to  refer  briefly  also  to  mention  made,  of  them  in  the  con- 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  175 

temporaneous  history  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  branches  of  the  organization  existed  through- 
out the  colonies,  from  the  period  of  the  revolution  until,  with 
the  exception  of  the  Saint  Tammany  Society  of  New  York, 
they  ceased  to  exist.  They  all  seem  to  have  been  originally 
patriotic  and  benevolent  societies.  The  element  of  $ecay  was 
introduced  when  they  turned  from  benevolent  to  political  pur- 
poses. Apparently  they  could  not  exist  both  as  fraternal  organ- 
izations and  as  factors  in  politics.  The  Tammany  Society  of 
New  York  is  the  only  survivor,  and  is  the  concentration  of 
Democratic  politics. 

In  Westcott's  History  of  Philadelphia,  frequent  mention  is 
made  of  the  Tammany  Societies  that  existed  in  that  city,  and 
with  due  credit  to  this  source  of  our  information,  we  make  the 
following  extracts. 

In  chronicling  the  events  of  1/72,  Mr.  Westcott  states  that 
the  Tammany  Society,  afterwards  of  much  importance,  first  as 
a  patriotic  body  and  afterwards  as  a  political  association,  was 
established  in  this  year.  On  Friday,  May  ist,  "a  number  of 
Americans,  Sons  of  King  Tammany,  met  at  the  house  of  James 
Byrnes  to  celebrate  the  memory  of  that  truly  noble  chieftain, 
whose  friendship  was  most  affectionately  manifested  to  the 
worthy  founders  and  first  settlers  of  this  province.  After 
dinner  the  circulating  glass  was  crowned  with  wishes  loyal  and 
patriotic,  and  the  day  concluded  with  much  cheerfulness  and 
harmony."  The  account  from  which  this  was  evidently  copied 
goes  on  to  say,  "  it  is  hoped  that  from  this  small  beginning  a 
society  may  be  formed  of  great  utility  to  the  distressed,  as  this 
meeting  was  more  for  the  purpose  of  promoting  charity  and 
benevolence  than  mirth  and  festivity." 

It  will  be  noticed  that  this  organization  took  place  in  1772, 
only  one  year  later  than  the  organization  at  Annapolis,  Md. 
It  is  more  than  probable  that  like  the  society  at  Maryland  this 
Tammany  Society  of  Philadelphia  was  a  transformation  of  a 
body  previously  organized  as  the  Sons  of  Liberty.  The  Sons 
of  Liberty  certainly  existed  in  Philadelphia,  because,  according 
to  Westcott,  a  circular  was  addressed  by  them  to  William  Coxe 
of  Philadelphia,  who  had  been  appointed  stamp-master  for  East 
Jersey.  A  delegation  from  the  Sons  of  Liberty  waited  upon 


176  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

him  and  asked  him  to  resign,  saying,  "  If,  sir,  you  refuse  our 
very  reasonable  request,  it  will  be  disagreeable  both  to  you  and 
to  us."  This  communication  was  dated  December  27,  1765. 
This  citation  also  proves  the  existence  of  the  Sons  of  Liberty 
in  Philadelphia  in  the  year  1765  contemporary  with  the  branch 
of  the  same  society  existing  in  Boston  in  that  year. 

The  celebration  of  the  Tammany  Society  in  1772  must  have 
been  successful,  because  in  1773  we  are  told  that  it  resolved 
to  extend  the  interest  which  was  manifested  in  its  objects, 
and  for  that  purpose  a  circular  was  sent  to  126  of  the  most 
prominent  individuals  in  the  city,  among  whom  may  be  men- 
tioned Chief  Justice  Chew,  Rev.  Jacob  Duche,  Rev.  Thomas 
Coombe,  Rev.  William  White,  John  Dickinson,  James  Allen, 
Andrew  Allen,  Gov.  William  Franklin  (of  New  Jersey),  Gov. 
James  Hamilton,  Thomas  Mifflin  (afterward  Major-General  and 
Governor  of  the  State),  Lieutenant-Governor  Richard  Penn, 
David  Rittenhouse  (the  astronomer),  Joseph  Reed,  and  Thomas 
Wharton,  Jr.  (each  afterward  President  of  the  State),  and  many 
others  of  like  prominence.  The  circular  inviting  these  gentle- 
men to  be  present  was  as  follows  :  — 

"APRIL  28,  1773. 

"  SIR  :  As  all  nations  have  for  seven  (several  ?)  centuries  past  adopted  some 
great  personage  remarkable  for  his  virtues  and  loved  for  civil  and  religious 
liberty  as  their  tutelar  saint,  and  annually  assembled  at  a  fixed  day  to  com- 
memorate him,  the  natives  of  this  flourishing  province,  determined  to  follow 
so  laudable  example,  for  some  years  past  have  adopted  a  great  warrior, 
sachem  and  chief  named  Tammany,  a  fast  friend  to  our  forefathers,  to  be 
the  tutelar  saint  of  this  province,  and  have  hitherto  on  the  ist  of  May  done 
the  accustomed  honors  to  the  memory  of  so  great  and  celebrated  a  personage. 
And  for  this  purpose  you  are  requested  to  meet  the  children  and  associate 
Sons  of  Saint  Tammany  at  the  house  of  Mr.  James  Byrnes,  to  dine  together 
and  form  such  useful  charitable  plans  for  the  relief  of  all  in  distress  as  shall 
then  be  agreed  upon." 

This  circular  is  susceptible  of  two  interpretations.  One  is, 
that  those  from  whom  it  issued  desired  to  impress  the  gentle- 
men to  whom  it  was  sent  with  the  fact  that  the  Sons  of  Tam- 
many had  a  strength  much  greater  than  was  actually  the  fact. 
The  language  will  also  bear  the  interpretation  that  "for  some 
years  past"  it  had  been  in  existence,  and  had  done  homage  to 
the  memory  of  Tammany.  This  latter  view  is  at  variance  with 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  177 

the  record  made  by  Mr.  Westcott  that  the  Tammany  Society 
was  established  May  i,  1772,  but  the  original  data,  from  which 
that  statement  was  copied,  may  have  been  furnished  by  some 
one  not  familiar  with  the  facts.  If  we  admit  the  probability 
that  there  had  been  an  organization  which,  "for  some  years 
past,"  had  adopted  Tammany  as  its  tutelar  saint,  therf  its  organi- 
zation would  antedate  the  Society  at  Annapolis,  which  in  1771 
was  organized  out  of  the  previously  existing  Sons  of  Liberty. 

Among  various  other  public  actions  celebrated  during  the 
year  1779,  mention  is  made  of  St.  Tammany's  Day,  and  the 
"observance  of  this  noted  anniversary  on  the  1st  of  May  by 
the  Sons  of  St.  Tammany."  They  seem  to  have  had  as  their 
guests,  "  their  adopted  brethren  of  St.  Patrick,  St.  Andrew,  and 
St.  George,"  and  they  had  a  dinner  at  the  old  theatre,  South- 
wark. 

Among  the  popular  celebrations  of  the  year  1783,  was  the 
appropriate  observance  on  Thursday,  May  I,  of  the  anniversary 
of  St.  Tammany,  "the  tutelar  Saint  of  Pennsylvania,"  at  the 
country  seat  of  Mr.  Pole  on  the  Schuylkill  by  250  "Constitu- 
tional Sons  of  St.  Tammany,"  who  were  decorated  with  buck- 
tails  and  feathers.  At  noon  thirteen  Sachems  or  Chiefs  were 
appointed,  who  selected  a  head  Chief  and  Scribe.  The  cere- 
mony of  burying  the  tomahawk,  in  token  that  the  war  with 
England  had  ended,  was  then  performed,  each  man  casting  a 
stone  upon  its  grave,  after  which  the  calumet,  or  pipe  of  peace, 
was  smoked.  The  bowl  of  the  pipe  was  a  huge  ram's  horn, 
gilded  with  thirteen  stars,  and  its  stem  a  reed  six  feet  in  length 
decorated  with  peacock  feathers.  In  a  cabin  set  apart  for  that 
purpose  a  feast  was  prepared  for  the  members.  At  one  end  of 
this  cabin  was  a  portrait  of  St.  Tammany,  and  besides  this  there 
was  a  design  of  the  siege  of  Yorktown,  and  portraits  of  Wash- 
ington and  Rochambeau.  Thirteen  toasts  were  drunk  to  the 
accompaniment  of  artillery  salutes  and  three  cheers,  which, 
when  the  army  and  Washington  were  named,  swelled  spontane- 
ously to  thirteen.  At  the  toast  to  "  The  friends  of  liberty  in 
Ireland,"  and  "The  tuning  of  the  Harp  of  Independence," 
thirteen  cheers  were  again  given,  and  the  band  struck  up  "  St. 
Patrick's  Day  in  the  Morning."  After  the  drinking  of  toasts 
had  ended,  the  Chief  sang  the  first  verse  of  the  original  song 


178  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

for  St.  Tammany's  day,  —  a  composition  in  vogue  in  the  special 
celebrations  long  before  the  revolution,  —  and  the  remaining 
stanzas  were  sung  by  Mr.  Leacock.  The  song  thus  referred  to 
was  as  follows  :  — 

SONG   FOR   SAINT  TAMMANY'S   DAY. 

Of  Andrew,  of  Patrick,  of  David,  and  George, 

What  mighty  achievements  we  hear! 
While  no  one  relates  great  Tammany's  feats, 
Although  more  heroic  by  far,  my  brave  boys, 

Although  more  heroic  by  far. 

These  heroes  fought  only  as  fancy  inspired, 

As  by  their  own  stories  we  find ; 
Whilst  Tammany,  he  fought  only  to  free 
From  cruel  oppression,  mankind,  my  brave  boys, 

From  cruel  oppression,  mankind. 

When  our  country  was  young,  and  our  numbers  were  few, 

To  our  fathers  his  friendship  was  shown ; 
(For  he  e'er  would  oppose  whom  he  took  for  his  foes). 
And  he  made  our  misfortunes  his  own,  my  brave  boys, 

And  he  made  our  misfortunes  his  own. 

At  length,  growing  old,  and  quite  worn  out  with  years, 

As  history  doth  truly  proclaim, 
His  wigwam  was  fired,  he  nobly  expired, 
And  flew  to  the  skies  in  a  flame,  my  brave  boys, 

And  flew  to  the  skies  in  a  flame. 

Other  songs  in  honor  of  the  saint  were  sung,  and  the  war- 
riors, highly  pleased  with  the  gaiety  of  the  Chief,  bore  him  on 
their  shoulders  from  the  green  into  his  cabin  amid  the  shouts  of 
all  present.  The  colors  of  France  and  Holland,  and  the  State 
flag  of  Pennsylvania,  had  been  raised  in  the  morning  on  separate 
staffs.  These  were  struck  after  sunset  at  a  signal  from  the 
cannon.  The  Chief  and  his  Sachems  then  marched  into  the 
city  in  Indian  file,  the  band  playing  "St.  Tammany's  Day." 
They  saluted  the  French  Minister  in  passing,  and  proceeded  to 
the  Coffee-House,  where,  after  giving  three  cheers,  they  dis- 
persed and  returned  to  their  homes. 

On  the  ist  of  May,  1784,  another  celebration  was  held  at  the 
country  seat  of  Mr.  Pole,  when  the  State  flag  was  hoisted  with 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES,  179 

the  colors  of  France  and  the  Netherlands  on  either  side,  the 
ceremony  being  accompanied  by  a  salute  with  a  cannon.  The 
usual  toasts  were  drunk,  and  on  their  way  home  from  the  ban- 
quet the  Sons  of  St.  Tammany  saluted  General  Washington 
who  was  dining  with  Robert  Morris,  at  Lemon  Hill,  with  music, 
cheers,  and  firing  of  cannon.  The  Ministers  of  Frande  and  the 
Netherlands  were  complimented  in  a  similar  manner. 

At  the  celebration  in  the  following  year,  1785,  which  was  held 
at  the  country  seat  of  Mr.  Beveridge  on  the  Schuylkill,  "  The 
compliments  of  General  Washington  for  the  respects  paid  him 
in  the  previous  year  being  communicated  by  the  Secretary,  pro- 
duced thirteen  cheers  which  came  from  the  heart."  One  of  the 
features  of  this  celebration  was  the  raising  of  a  new  flag  with  a 
painting  of  St.  Tammany  upon  it. 

On  the  i  ith  of  April,  1786,  the  Sons  of  St.  Tammany  received 
at  their  wigwam  on  the  Schuylkill  the  famous  Seneca  Chief 
"Corn  Planter,"  who  with  five  other  Chiefs  had  arrived  in 
Philadelphia  on  the  way  to  New  York  in  order  to  secure  action 
by  Congress  upon  certain  matters  of  interest  to  their  nation. 
What  followed  is  thus  described:  "About  three  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  the  Tammany  Sachems  waited  on  '  Corn  Planter  '  and 
his  companions  at  the  Indian  Queen  Tavern,  and  attended  the 
Chiefs  separately  to  a  rendezvous  near  the  wigwam.  Three 
others  of  the  Indians  were  escorted  by  a  company  of  militia. 
On  the  arrival  of  the  Sachems  cannons  were  fired  and  flags 
hoisted.  Corn  Planter  then  made  a  speech  in  which  he  ex- 
pressed himself  in  strong  terms  of  amity  and  friendship  for  the 
whites,  and  after  a  salute  of  thirteen  guns  and  three  cheers  from 
the  company,  which  numbered  about  2000  persons,  a  circle  was 
formed  about  the  '  council  fire '  and  the  pipe  of  peace  was 
smoked.  A  libation  of  wine  was  poured  out  in  honor  of  St. 
Tammany,  after  which  Corn  Planter  and  the  other  Indians  per- 
formed the  war  dance  followed  by  a  peace  dance  in  which  the 
Tammany  Sachems  and  militia  officers  participated.  One  of 
the  Sachems  then  replied  to  Corn  Planter's  speech  in  fitting 
terms,  a  salute  was  fired,  the  colors  struck,  and  the  Indians 
escorted  back  to  town." 

St.  Tammany  day  was  celebrated  by  the  Society  on  the  ist  of 
May  at  the  wigwam  in  the  usual  manner.  Charles  Biddle,  Vice- 


l8o  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

President  of  the  State,  was  elected  Sachem,  and  hailed  as  Tam- 
many. The  names  of  the  other  Sachems,  together  with  the 
Indian  titles  conferred  upon  them,  are  recorded  as  follows  :  — • 
Jonathan  Bayard  Smith,  "  lontonque  "  ;  Alexander  Boyd,  "  Tata- 
boucksey  "  ;  Thomas  Nevill,  "  Hoowamente  "  ;  Frederick  Phile, 
"  Pechemelind  " ;  Daniel  Heister,  "  Towarraho  "  ;  William  Coates, 
"  Deunquatt  "  ;  Joseph  Dean,  "  Shuetongo  " ;  William  Thorpe, 
"Simougher";  Emanuel  Eyre,  "  Tediescung  "  ;  Zachariah  En- 
dress,  "  Shamboukin  "  ;  Thomas  Proctor,  "  Kayashuta  "  ;  and 
Elias  Boys,  "  Hyngapushes."  At  this  celebration  a  portrait  of 
Corn  Planter  was  presented  by  Mrs.  Eliza  Phile  to  the  Sachem 
"  lontonque,"  Jonathan  Bayard  Smith,  and  an  ode  was  recited 
by  Brother  Prichard,  which  we  reproduce  as  follows :  — 

ODE. 

When  superstition's  dark  and  haughty  plan 

Fettered  the  genius  and  debased  the  man, 

Each  trifling  legend  was  as  truth  received ; 

The  priest  invented  and  the  crowd  believed ; 

Nations  adored  the  whim  in  stone  or  paint, 

And  gloried  in  the  fabricated  saint. 

Some  holy  guardian,  hence,  each  nation  claims  — 

Gay  France  her  Denis,  and  grave  Spain  her  James. 

Britons  at  once  two  mighty  saints  obey ; 

Andrew  and  George  maintain  united  sway. 

O'er  humbler  lands  the  same  odd  whim  prevails  — 

Ireland  her  Patrick  boasts,  her  David,  Wales. 

We,  Pennsylvanians,  these  old  tales  reject, 

And  our  own  saint  think  proper  to  elect. 

Immortal  Tammany,  of  Indian  race, 

Great  in  the  field,  and  foremost  in  the  chase, 

No  puny  saint  was  he,  with  fasting  pale, 

He  climb'd  the  mountain  and  he  swept  the  vale ; 

Rushed  through  the  forest  with  unequalled  flight  — 

Your  ancient  saints  would  tremble  at  the  sight  — 

Caught  the  swift  boar,  and  swifter  deer  with  ease, 

And  worked  a  thousand  miracles  like  these. 

To  public  views  he  added  private  ends, 

And  loved  his  country  most,  and  next  his  friends. 

With  courage  long  he  strove  to  ward  the  blow, 

(Courage  we  all  respect  e'en  in  a  foe), 

And  when  each  effort  he  in  vain  had  tried. 

Kindled  the  flame  in  which  he  bravely  died  ! 


DQ 

UJ 

X 

h 

DQ 

Q 
U 

£ 

< 

o 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  181 

To  Tammany  let  well  filled  horns  go  round ; 
His  fame  let  every  honest  tongue  resound : 
With  him  let  every  generous  patriot  vie 
To  live  in  freedom  or  with  honor  die  ! 
Nor  shall  I  think  my  labors  too  severe, 
Since  ye,  wise  Sachems,  kindly  deign  to  hear. 

On  the  way  back  to  the  city  the  members  of  the  Society 
stopped  at  the  residence  of  Benjamin  Franklin  and  paid  its 
respects  to  that  honorable  statesman. 

At  the  celebration  by  the  Jeffersonians  in  honor  of  the  acquisi- 
tion of  Louisiana,  held  May  12,  1804,  mention  is  made  that  "the 
Tammany  Society  paraded  with  'the  Tribe  of  Pennsylvania'  and 
sixteen  others."  Mention  is  also  made  of  "the  incorporated  St. 
Tammany  "  as  being  among  the  societies  which  paraded. 

In  1806  the  Tammany  Society  at  its  meeting  in  May,  "pro- 
ceeded in  great  state  to  the  wigwam  at  Rowland  Smith's,  Spring 
Garden,  bearing  the  general  flag  of  the  General  Council  of 
Sachems,  the  property  flag  of  each  tribe,  and  the  peculiar 
insignia  of  the  Society,  —  the  Great  Key,  the  Bugle  Horn,  the 
Calumet,  and  the  Sheathed  Tomahawk."  The  affair  was  ren- 
dered more  imposing  by  the  appearance  of  a  new  band  of  music 
composed  of  performers  upon  six  clarionets,  four  flutes,  two 
horns,  two  bassoons,  one  bass  drum,  a  psaltery,  and  some  vio- 
lins. Dr.  Michael  Leib  was  Grand  Sachem. 

When,  in  1814,  the  Committee  of  Defense  thought  that 
"  field  fortifications  "  should  be  thrown  up  on  the  western  side 
of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  a  public  call  was  made  for  volunteers 
to  perform  the  labor  necessary.  Hearty  enthusiasm  was  shown, 
and  all  classes  of  society  joined  the  organizations  in  a  body,  and 
among  those  who  thus  responded  were  four  hundred  members 
of  the  Tammany  Society  on  one  occasion,  and  one  hundred  and 
thirty  on  another. 

There  were  other  celebrations  of  Saint  Tammany's  Day,  but 
enough  has  been  given  to  indicate  the  nature  of  the  festivities 
which  marked  these  occasions.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the 
leading  members  and  officers  of  these  organizations  were  men 
prominent  in  social  and  political  affairs,  but  at  first  this  ten- 
dency to  political  action  was  controlled  by  patriotic  impulses 
and  inspired  with  the  desire  to  complete  the  organization  of  the 


1 82  IMPROVED   ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Republic  which  had  been  founded  as  a  result  of  the  Revolution- 
ary War.  The  Tammany  Societies  wherever  they  existed  seem 
to  have  been  opponents  of  everything  tending  towards  mon- 
archy, or  which  in  the  slightest  degree  would  cripple  the  com- 
plete civil  and  religious  liberty  gained  in  the  establishment  of 
the  new  government. 

As  an  indication  of  the  gradual  change  taking  place  in  the 
objects  controlling  the  Tammany  organizations  as  early  as  1796, 
we  quote  the  following  from  Mr.  Westcott :  — 

"To  the  national  societies  may  be  added  'the  Society  of  Saint  Tammany, 
or  the  Columbian  Order.'  Before  the  Revolution  an  association  bearing  this 
name  was  social  and  patriotic.  It  continued  firmly  patriotic  in  its  ceremonies 
and  proceedings  during  the  contest  of  the  Revolution,  and  for  some  years 
afterwards.  In  1796  there  appeared  publicly  the  first  notices  that  the  Tam- 
many Society  had  become  a  political  society  in  Philadelphia.  It  met  Feb- 
ruary 20  of  that  year  at  the  wigwam  No.  63  North  Fourth  Street.  In  1800  the 
wigwam  was  in  Harmony  Court,  —  probably  at  Northwest  corner  of  Whale- 
bone (or  Hudson's)  Alley." 

The  drift  of  the  Society  towards  political  action  may  also  be 
inferred  from  an  attack  made  on  Governor  McKean  who  was 
assailed  on  account  of  his  participation  as  "Grand  Sachem"  at 
the  anniversary  celebration  of  the  Saint  Tammany  Society  held 
May  12,  1800,  at  the  Buck  Tavern  in  Moyamensing.  The 
"  longtalk  "  was  made  by  Dr.  John  Porter,  and  among  the  other 
Sachems  present  besides  McKean  were  Israel  Israel  and  Colonel 
John  Barker.  The  Colonel  Barker  here  named  afterwards  be- 
came General,  and  it  was  his  son,  Captain  James  N.  Barker,  an 
officer  of  the  regular  army,  who  commanded  the  garrison  at  Fort 
Mifflin,  assisted  by  Lieutenant  Williams,  at  the  time  when  it  is 
claimed  the  Society  of  Red  Men  was  organized  there.  Captain 
Barker  resigned  from  the  army  after  the  close  of  the  War  of 
1812,  was  made  an  .alderman  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and 
afterwards  elected  Mayor.  While  we  have  no  evidence  of  the 
fact,  it  may  be  that  Captain  Barker  was  a  member  of  the 
Saint  Tammany  Society  in  which  his  father  was  so  prominent. 
Assuming  this,  the  connection  between  the  Societies  of  Sons  of 
Saint  Tammany  and  the  Society  of  Red  Men  is  unbroken  and 
complete. 

In  addition  to  the  Tammany  Societies  existing  in  New  York 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  183 

and  Philadelphia,  it  is  proper  to  mention  the  branch  of  the 
organization  in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  Md.  In  1805  there  ex- 
isted in  that  city  a  branch  of  the  Saint  Tammany  Society,  or 
Columbian  Order,  fashioned  after  that  of  New  York  in  1789, 
and  purely  a  political  organization.  This  branch  was  estab- 
lished in  the  "Month  of  the  Corn"  and  "year  of  discovery  of 
America,  314,"  and  its  existence  can  be  traced  through  several 
subsequent  years. 

The  constitution  of  this  Society,  organized  at  Baltimore  in 
1805,  was  published  in  the  pamphlets  of  the  Maryland  Histori- 
cal Society,  Vol.  XXVI.,  indexed  385.  From  this  constitution 
we  give  extracts  sufficient  to  indicate  how  the  Society  was 
governed. 

It  declared  that  its  purpose  was  to  "connect  in  indissoluble 
bands  of  patriotic  friendship  citizens  of  known  attachment  to 
the  political  rights  of  human  nature,  and  the  liberties  of  this 
country."  Every  member  before  initiation  was  required  to  come 
under  a  solemn  obligation  to  maintain  the  constitution  of  the 
Society,  and  to  preserve  its  secrets.  The  presiding  officer  was 
designated  as  Grand  Sachem,  and  there  were  as  many  Sachems 
as  States  in  the  Union,  who  with  the  Grand  Sachem,  formed  a 
council  for  the  government  of  the  body.  There  was  a  treasurer 
and  secretary,  and  the  quorum  consisted  of  a  number  equal  to 
the  number  of  States.  The  number  of  Tribes  into  which  the 
Society  was  divided  also  corresponded  with  the  number  of 
States,  and  each  Tribe  took  the  name  of  a  State.  The  place 
of  meeting  was  called  a  wigwam,  and  in  the  year  1808  this  wig- 
wam was  located  at  North  Calvert  Street  near  the  City  Spring, 
in  what  was  known  as  the  Octagon  Building.  The  constitution 
provided  that  the  election  of  officers  should  take  place  at  the 
first  stated  meeting  in  May,  annually.  In  the  absence  of  the 
Grand  Sachem  his  duties  for  the  time  being  were  devolved 
upon  the  "  Father  of  the  Council."  The  admission  fee  was 
fixed  at  not  more  than  1000  cents,  nor  less  than  two  dollars,  to 
be  paid  on  the  signing  of  the  Constitution.  Applications  for 
membership  were  referred  to  a  committee  for  examination,  and 
upon  the  report  of  said  committee  a  ballot  was  taken,  and  if  not 
more  than  two  black  to  every  sixteen  white  balls  appeared,  the 
candidate  was  elected.  He  was  required  to  attend  for  admis- 


184  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

sion  within  six  months  or  his  election  was  declared  void.  Pro- 
vision was  made  for  a  new  ballot  in  case  of  rejection  on  account 
of  falsehood  or  mistake.  Otherwise  he  could  not  be  proposed  a 
second  time  in  the  Society.  Crimes  against  the  Society  were 
declared  to  be  betraying  the  secrets,  slander,  embezzlement,  or 
flagrant  breach  of  civil  laws  ;  but  no  person  could  be  expelled 
except  after  due  trial.  The  regular  meetings  of  the  Society 
were  held  the  first  Thursday  evening  of  each  month,  "  and  the 
1 2th  day  of  May  shall  be  observed  as  the  anniversary  of  the 
Society,  on  which  a  longtalk  shall  be  delivered  by  a  brother 
appointed  for  that  purpose."  The  doorkeeper  was  styled  "  The 
Winskinki."  He  was  directed  to  admit  no  person  not  person- 
ally known  to  him  to  be  a  member,  nor  unless  he  presented 
"  the  characteristic  word "  of  the  Society,  nor  to  allow  any 
member  to  leave  the  wigwam  without  leave  of  absence  having 
been  first  obtained  from  the  Grand  Sachem.  One  significant 
clause  of  the  By-Laws,  which  was  certainly  an  improvement  on 
the  New  York  Society,  and  had  a  beneficent  effect  by  prevent- 
ing debauchery  among  the  members,  declared  that  "no  drink 
stronger  than  water  shall  be  admitted  into  the  wigwam." 

An  account  of  a  meeting  of  the  Tammany  Society  in  Balti- 
more, in  1807,  appeared  in  the  Baltimore  American,  a  leading 
daily  of  that  city,  from  which  we  extract  as  follows  :  — 

"MAY  23,  1807. 

"  At  an  adjourned  meeting  of  the  Tammany  Society,  held  at  their  Wigwam 
on  the  2  ist  of  the  month  of  Flowers,  nineteen  brethren  were  elected  Sachems 
for  the  ensuing  year,  and  a  meeting  of  Sachems  being  held  and  an  allotment 
being  made,  the  following  was  the  result :  — 

"  Grand  Sachem,  John  Barkson ;  New  Hampshire,  Sachem  Small ;  Con- 
necticut, Sachem  Aitken ;  Delaware,  Sachem  Niles ;  Kentucky,  Sachem 
George;  Georgia,  Sachem  McClure;  Vermont,  Sachem  Sinclair;  Pennsyl- 
vania, Sachem  Craig ;  Virginia,  Sachem  Bland ;  Tennessee,  Sachem  Snyder ; 
Rhode  Island,  Sachem  Fulton ;  New  Jersey,  Sachem  Stewart ;  Ohio,  Sachem 
Hewitt ;  South  Carolina,  Sachem  Chase ;  Massachusetts,  Sachem  Williams ; 
New  York,  Sachem  Moore;  Maryland,  Sachem  Peelin;  North  Carolina, 
Sachem  Maris." 

The  Society  maintained  a  fitful  existence  for  a  short  time 
and  then,  like  the  other  branches  of  the  organization,  seems  to 
have  gone  out  of  existence. 

The  St.  Tamina  Society  organized  out  of  the  Sons  of  Liberty 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  185 

at  Annapolis  in  1771,  maintained  its  existence  as  late  as  1810, 
because  in  the  Maryland  Republican,  a  newspaper  published  at 
Annapolis,  Maryland,  in  the  years  1809-10,  appear  the  notices 
of  the  weekly  meetings  of  the  Tamina  Society  of  that  city.  On 
the  1 2th  of  May,  1810,  a  longtalk  was  delivered  before  the 
Society  by  Mr.  John  S.  Skinner,  which  longtalk  was  subse- 
quently published  in  the  Maryland  Republican.  The  longtalk 
was  so  acceptable  to  the  members  of  the  Society  that  on  the 
"  1 2th  day  of  the  Month  of  Blossoms,  the  Year  of  Discovery 
318,"  a  resolution  was  unanimously  adopted,  "that  the  thanks 
of  this  society  be  presented  to  Brother  John  S.  Skinner  for  the 
appropriate  longtalk  delivered  by  him,  and  that  he  be  requested 
to  furnish  a  copy  for  publication." 

The  address  was  accordingly  published  in  the  Republican  for 
May  19,  1810,  and  a  copy  is  before  us  as  we  write.  In  the 
longtalk  the  speaker  referred  in  eloquent  terms  to  the  days  of 
the  Revolution,  claiming  that  the  society  which  he  addressed 
was  directly  descended  from  the  St.  Tamina  Society  of  the 
olden  time.  We  make  a  few  quotations  as  follows  :  — 

"  Brothers,  our  Society  takes  its  name  from  a  celebrated  Indian  chief  of 
the  Delaware  Tribe  who  was,  like  Logan,  renowned  for  his  illustrious  qualities 
and  like  him  also  '  the  friend  of  the  white  man.1  Its  symbols  are  properly 
borrowed  from  the  aboriginal  Americans  whose  state  when  discovered  pre- 
sented a  model  of  perfect  freedom  if  not  primeval  innocence  and  affection. 
It  was  instituted  by  a  sturdy  band  of  inflexible  patriots,  who  secretly  as- 
sembled together  amidst  surrounding  horrors  of  British  desolation  through 
the  Revolutionary  War,  to  commune  over  the  affairs  of  their  country,  and  to 
watch  the  motion  of  its  enemies.  From  this  fountain  sprung  forth  many 
waters,  out  of  this  beginning  has  grown  that  chain  of  institutions  of  which 
we  are  a  component  link,  and  which  we  have  this  day  met  to  brighten  and 
to  celebrate."  .  .  .  "Secrecy  was  properly  imposed  on  each  member  at  his 
admission,  thus  far  resembling  the  social  dinners  at  Sparta,  where,  when  the 
Spartan  youth  entered,  the  oldest  man  present  pointed  to  the  door  and  said, 
'  No  one  word  spoken  in  this  company  goes  out  there.' " 

A  large  portion  of  the  address  is  devoted  to  the  political 
character  of  the  Society,  and  much  sound  advice  is  given  the 
members  as  to  their  duties  as  citizens.  He  said :  — 

"  Brothers,  beware  of  abusing  the  elective  franchise,  that  is  the  great 
bulwark  of  your  freedom,  the  main  pillar  of  your  patriotic  edifice,  a  fortress 
from  which  you  can  rake  your  political  enemies  and  defend  forever  the  eternal 
principles  of  truth,  justice  and  equal  rights.  When  we  approach  the  polls, 


1 86  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

let  us  guard  against  the  seductive  arts  of  the  office-hunter  and  the  more 
baneful  pretensions  of  the  masked  usurper,  hatching  his  schemes  of  aggran- 
dizement and  tyranny,  aided  by  all  the  servile  or  deluded  followers  which  art 
or  gold  can  secure.  Such  men  have  '  the  words  of  Jacob  and  the  hands  of 
Esau.1 " 

The  celebration  at  which  this  longtalk  was  delivered  occurred 
only  two  years  before  the  outbreak  of  the  War  of  1812-14. 
Already  the  shadow  of  the  coming  conflict  hovered  over  the 
country.  The  insolence  of  England  aroused  a  storm  of  indigna- 
tion among  the  people,  and  it  was  evident  that  war  could  not  be 
long  postponed.  In  reference  to  this  and  to  seeming  vacillation 
in  the  councils  of  the  Nation,  he  spoke  as  follows  :  — 

"  Brothers,  if  there  exist  such  solid  reasons  for  union  and  vigilance  at  home 
is  there  not  ample  cause  to  send  our  scouts,  perhaps  our  warriors,  to  watch 
and  punish  foreign  aggressions  beyond  the  great  waters?  I  thought,  did  we 
not  all  expect,  that  unless  ample  reparation  was  made  us,  the  tomahawk 
which  lies  concealed  beneath  the  council  fire  of  our  great  wigwam  would  have 
been  unburied  when  our  (national)  Sachems  assembled  in  the  month  of 
Beavers.  We  thought  that  they  who  had  treacherously  rejected  the  friendly 
wampum,  and  insolently  refused  to  smoke  the  Calumet  of  Peace,  ought  not 
to  have  passed  unpunished.  We  thought  the  bloody  scalps  of  our  brethren 
slain  in  the  Chesapeake  would  have  roused  apathy  itself.  But  some  evil 
birds  have  been  flying  among  us  —  some  old  squaws  seem  to  have  been  ad- 
mitted in  disguise  into  the  Council  of  our  Sachem,  and  to  have  turned  our 
wrongs  into  jest  for  fear  of  the  battle.  I  have  no  hope  of  brightening  your 
honor  until  these  old  squaws  are  kept  at  home  to  hill  their  corn  and  dress 
their  potatoes.  I  have  notched  a  list  of  our  wrongs,  but  unredressed  as  they 
are  likely  to  be,  I  fear  their  rehearsal  would  drive  us  into  despair  and  rage 
and  convert  this  jocund  society  into  a  mourning  scene.  With  England  we 
have  whiffed  the  pipe  of  peace,  but  as  soon  as  our  back  was  turned  she  struck 
us  with  the  tomahawk  and  drew  the  scalping  knife.  She  pretends  to  great 
honor  and  lofty  views,  but  all  is  hollow,  false  and  faithless  and  inconsistent. 
In  England  is  a  government  '  uniting  the  mock  modesty  of  a  bloody  sceptre 
with  the  little  traffic  of  a  merchant's  counting-house,  wielding  a  truncheon  in 
one  hand  and  picking  a  pocket  with  the  other.'  Against  France,  too,  we 
have  much  ground  for  complaint.  Her  injuries  may  be  likened  to  the 
Severn,  but  the  crimes  of  England  are  huge  as  the  Chesapeake,  or  vast  as 
the  great  waters  of  whose  undived  empire  she  boasts.  Our  Tribes  will  not 
always  submit  to  injury.  They  ivill  yet  rise  in  their  fury,  sing  the  -war  song 
and  '  terrible  as  the  mountain  storm '  they  will  rush  upon  their  enemies.'1'1 

In  view  of  the  war  that  so  shortly  ensued,  the  concluding 
words  of  the  above  paragraph  seem  almost  prophetic,  and 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  187 

during  the  two  years  of  blood  and  conflict  which  marked  that 
page  of  our  nation's  history,  the  blood  of  the  Sons  of  St.  Tam- 
many was  freely  shed  as  the  price  of  freedom,  and,  as  events  have 
since  proved,  of  lasting  peace  with  our  old  enemies.  Whether 
from  fear  or  policy,  the  hand  of  England  no  longer  grasps  the 
tomahawk,  and  for  many  great  suns  between  the  two  nations 
the  smoke  from  the  calumet  of  peace  has  ascended  to  the 
Great  Spirit. 

John  S.  Skinner,  who  delivered  this  oration,  was  born  in  1772 
in  Anne  Arundel  County,  Md.  It  has  been  claimed  that  he 
was  a  member  of  the  Society  in  the  latter  years  of  his  life,  but 
as  we  are  unable  to  find  any  record  giving  the  date  of  his 
admission  we  cannot  vouch  for  the  truth  of  this  claim.  His 
life  was  full  of  interesting  episodes,  not  the  least  memorable 
being  that  connected  with  the  War  of  1812.  He  was  one  of 
the  friends  who  accompanied  Francis  Scott  Key  when  with 
others  he  sought  the  release  of  his  friend,  the  aged  Dr.  Beams, 
detained  a  prisoner  by  the  British.  He  was  a  particular  friend 
of  Mr.  Key  and  his  family.  It  was  while  on  this  mission  to  the 
British  fleet,  under  a  flag  of  truce,  that  Key  wrote  the  immortal 
national  hymn,  the  "  Star  Spangled  Banner."  Brother  Skinner 
was  a  man  of  considerable  literary  ability,  and  in  the  year  1818 
published  a  periodical  called  The  Censor.  In  the  year  1819,  in 
company  with  Samuel  Sands,  he  edited  the  American  Farmer, 
and  in  1829  published  and  owned  the  Turf  Register.  He  was 
closely  identified  with  the  best  interests  of  the  State  of  Mary- 
land, and  in  the  year  1825  was  secretary  of  a  convention  called 
to  discuss  means  best  calculated  to  promote  the  prosperity  of 
the  State.  He  was  postmaster  of  the  city  of  Baltimore  for 
many  years,  which  position  he  filled  most  acceptably.  Of  him 
it  may  with  truth  be  said  that  he  needs  no  eulogy  as  a  good 
man  and  a  useful  citizen. 

It  is  now  proper  to  mention  still  another  society  which  used 
the  forms  and  ceremonies  of  the  Indians,  and  which  is  brought 
to  our  notice  under  the  name  of  the  "  Kickapoo  Amicable  As- 
sociation," which  existed  in  the  city  of  Washington,  D.  C.,  in 
the  year  1804,  and  which  not  only  adopted  the  usages,  forms, 
ceremonies,  and  costumes  of  the  Indian  race,  but  also  gave  to 
its  members  Indian  names  and,  following  the  custom  of  the 


1 88  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED   MEX. 

Indian  race,  bestowed  the  name  of  an  animal  or  other  natural 
object  upon  them.  Among  the  manuscripts  of  the  "Oldest 
Inhabitants'  Association"  of  Washington,  Vol.  I.,  is  a  document 
which  is  a  copy  of  the  original  certificate  of  membership  issued 
to  a  member  of  this  association  named  Washington  Boyd,  under 
date  of  October  20,  1804.  The  document  is  in  a  cipher,  made 
by  spelling  backwards  the  words  composing  the  certificate.  The 
certificate  reads  as  follows  :  — 

"FOR  VERBEA,  OR  THE  BEAVER,  V/ASHINGTON  BOYD,  ESQ., 
UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA. 

"  To  the  Members  of  the  Kickapoo  Amicable  Association,  Greeting: 

"  Know  ye  that  we,  the  Kickapoos  of  Washington  City,  reposing  due  confi- 
dence in  the  benevolent  and  humanizing  disposition  of  our  beloved  friend  the 
Beaver,  have  adopted  him  and  given  him  this  in  the  name  of  our  ancient  and 
honorable  fraternity  according  to  the  rules  of  our  association. 

"  J.   LAMB,  Secretary  Washington  Tribe. 
"LONG   LIVE   THE   KICKAPOOS!" 

This  chapter  would  be  incomplete  without  giving  an  account 
of  the  celebrated  Indian  chief  who  was  canonized  as  the  patron 
saint  of  America,  and  after  whom  the  Tamina  (or  Tammany) 
Societies  herein  described  were  named.  In  the  work  of  Mr. 
Horton  already  referred  to,  the  legend  of  Tamina  is  attributed 
to  the  researches  of  the  late  Dr.  Samuel  L.  Mitchell,  and  it  is 
from  this  account  that  the  following  legend  is  taken. 

Long  before  the  discoveries  of  Ferdinand  de  Soto  or  La  Salle, 
or  even  before  the  fancied  voyage  of  Bcehem,  Tammany  and  his 
people  inhabited  that  extensive  and  fertile  tract  of  land  west  of 
the  Alleghany  Mountains,  and  extending  northward  of  the  Ohio 
river.  The  remains  of  monuments  and  other  vestiges  of  art, 
which  are  now  found  in  that  section  were  owing,  it  is  said,  to  the 
skill  of  Tammany.  In  his  youth  he  was  famed  for  his  exploits 
as  a  hunter  and  warrior,  and,  from  beyond  the  Father  of  Waters 
to  the  Great  Salt  Lake,  his  deeds  were  recounted  at  every 
council  fire.  He  waged  for  many  years  a  war  with  his  mortal 
enemy,  the  Evil  Spirit,  and  during  this  time  his  prowess  and 
courage  exceeded,  if  possible,  all  that  is  related  in  ancient  story 
and  song  of  the  Grecian  Hercules.  This  Evil  Spirit  took  every 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  189 

occasion  to  annoy  the  great  Chief,  and  first  caused  poison 
sumach  and  stinging  nettles  to  grow  in  the  land,  which  diffused 
virulent  exhalations  through  the  air,  poisoning  his  people,  and 
puncturing  them  when  they  went  to  hunt.  Tammany,  after 
various  efforts  to  destroy  them,  finally  took  advantage  of^an 
excessive  drouth,  set  fire  to  the  prairies,  and  consumed  the 
venomous  plants,  which  burned  with  so  much  rapidity  that  the 
Evil  Spirit  himself,  who  was  skulking  about,  was  sorely  singed 
by  the  flames.  In  revenge  for  this,  his  enemy  sent  innumerable 
rattlesnakes  to  infest  the  land,  which  Tammany  destroyed  by 
sowing  the  seeds  of  the  ash-tree  upon  the  grounds,  and  cured 
their  bites  by  seneka-root  and  plantain.  After  this,  he  brought 
large  droves  of  mammoths  and  other  huge  animals  from  behind 
the  great  lakes,  and  turned  them  loose  upon  the  Tammanial 
territories.  These  beasts  caused  great  devastation  among  the 
people  of  Tammany.  They  were  swift  and  ferocious,  and  arrows 
fell  blunted  from  their  sides,  so  tough  and  impervious  were  their 
skins.  But  Tammany  was  not  to  be  frustrated.  He  caused  salt 
to  be  sprinkled  at  different  places  throughout  his  dominions, 
and  in  the  paths  of  the  animals,  as  they  went  to  these  licks  (as 
they  are  called  to  this  day),  he  caused  large  pits  to  be  dug  which 
were  concealed  by  means  of  trees  and  leaves.  Into  these  they 
fell  and  were  killed,  being  impaled  upon  the  points  of  sharpened 
trees,  and  their  bones  are  yet  found  there,  to  confirm  the  truth 
of  the  story. 

His  enemy  was  mortified  and  enraged  at  his  disappointment 
in  his  endeavors  to  injure  Tammany,  and  now  tried  another 
expedient  to  effect  his  purpose.  He  had  a  large  dam  thrown 
across  the  lake,  near  where  the  city  of  Detroit  now  stands, 
causing  a  great  rising  of  the  waters  of  lakes  Huron  and  Michi- 
gan, which  was  intended  to  deluge  the  country  south  of  it, 
where  lay  the  territory  of  Tammany.  He  also  threw  another 
across  at  Niagara,  raising  the  waters  of  Lake  Erie.  The  dis- 
astrous effects  which  might  have  resulted  from  this,  Tammany 
averted  by  opening  the  drains  in  which  the  waters  of  the  Miami, 
the  Wabash,  and  the  Alleghany  now  run,  and  by  cutting  a  ditch 
which  at  present  forms  the  channel  of  the  Ohio.  For  this  he 
was  pronounced  by  his  adoring  people  "the  savior  of  his 
country."  The  lakes  gradually  subsided,  but  the  rapids  of 


190  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Detroit  and  the  falls  of  Niagara  still  remain  as  monuments  of 
the  astonishing  event ! 

After  this,  the  Evil  Spirit  stirred  up  the  red  men  of  the  East 
and  the  North  against  Tammany,  and  a  long  and  bloody  war 
ensued ;  but  they  were  at  length  defeated,  and  a  great  number 
taken  prisoners.  When  they  found  themselves  in  the  power  of 
Tammany,  they  expected,  of  course,  to  be  put  to  the  most  cruel 
tortures  and  lacerations ;  but  each  one  had  prepared  himself  for 
the  horrible  execution,  and  like  Alkmoonac,  had  determined  to 
sing  his  death-song,  while  gashes  were  separating  limb  from 
limb,  and  blazing  splinters  stuck  into  his  flesh.  But  what  was 
their  surprise  when  they  learned  that  the  victorious  Chief  had 
determined  to  spare  their  lives !  He  ordered  them  to  be 
brought  to  his  wigwam,  where  he  delivered  to  them  a  discourse 
so  full  of  good  reason  and  sound  sense  that  they  were  heartily 
ashamed  of  their  own  villainy. 

But  the  Evil  Spirit  was  determined  not  to  give  up  yet,  and  so 
implacable  was  his  enmity  against  Tammany,  that  he  resolved 
to  waylay  and  attack  him  himself.  Tammany,  however,  knew 
by  the  moving  of  the  bushes  where  his  enemy  was  secreted,  and 
pretending  not  to  notice  the  discovery,  he  advanced,  and  with 
his  hickory  staff  he  dealt  a  blow  upon  his  adversary  which  made 
him  bellow  out  with  pain  ;  and,  to  follow  the  exact  words  of  the 
legend,  "  they  clinched,  and  dreadful  was  the  crashing  of  timber 
which  they  trod  down  in  the  scuffle.  Never  since  the  times 
when  the  giants  piled  mountain  upon  mountain  were  there  such 
exertions  of  animal  strength.  For  the  space  of  more  than  a 
league  square  not  a  tree  was  left  standing — all  were  crushed 
and  trampled  flat  by  the  combatants.  At  length,  after  unceas- 
ing exertions  for  fifty  days,  Tammany,  skilfully  taking  advan- 
tage of  the  hiplock,  threw  him  head  and  shoulders  on  the 
ground,  and  endeavored  to  roll  him  into  the  Ohio  and  drown 
him  ;  but  an  immense  rock  standing  in  the  way,  he  could  not 
effect  it.  He  then  seized  him  by  the  throat,  and  would  cer- 
tainly have  strangled  him,  had  not  his  wrist  and  thumb  been 
so  sprained  and  weakened  that  they  could  not  gripe  him  hard 
enough  to  stop  his  breathing.  Tammany  by  this  time  grew 
faint  and  exhausted,  which  the  Evil  Spirit  perceiving,  slipped 
out  of  his  hands ;  but,  as  he  departed  he  was  told  to  confine 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  191 

himself  to  the  cold  and  remote  regions  of  Labrador  and  Hud- 
son's Bay,  and  was  threatened  with  instant  death  if  he  should 
ever  be  caught  showing  his  face  on  this  side  of  the  great 
lakes." 

After  this,  Tammany  devoted  himself  to  the  arts  of  p^ace. 
He  brought  maize,  beans,  and  tobacco  from  their  uncultivated 
states,  and  domesticated  plum  trees  and  onions,  and  introduced 
many  other  improvements  in  agriculture.  By  these  things  he 
endeared  himself  to  his  people.  His  government  was  of  the 
patriarchal  kind,  mild,  but  firm.  His  people  looked  up  to  him 
as  their  father,  and  referred  all  their  differences  and  disputes 
to  him.  His  decisions  were  always  law.  Plenty  pervaded  his 
land,  and  his  people  were  contented  and  happy.  Their  watch- 
word was  "  Tammany  and  Liberty." 

About  this  time,  Manco  Capac,  the  great  Inca  of  Peru  and 
the  descendant  of  the  Sun,  who  had  heard  of  the  wisdom  and 
powers  of  Tammany,  dispatched  messengers  inviting  him  to 
an  interview,  the  place  of  which  he  would  mention  might  be 
Mexico,  a  spot  about  equidistant  from  the  dominions  of  each, 
where  he  wished  to  consult  him  on  a  form  of  government  which 
he  was  about  to  establish  for  the  Peruvian  nation.  Tammany, 
before  departing  to  have  this  talk  with  the  illustrious  Sachem 
of  the  Andes,  called  together  his  tribes,  which  amounted  to 
thirteen,  and  delivered  the  following  sententious  precepts  to 
each :  — 

"CHILDREN  OF  THE  FIRST  TRIBE:  The  EAGLE  should  be  your  model. 
He  soars  above  the  clouds,  loves  the  mountain-tops,  takes  a  broad  survey 
of  the  country  round,  and  his  watchfulness  in  the  daytime  lets  nothing  escape 
him.  From  him  learn  to  direct  your  thoughts  to  elevated  objects,  to  rise 
superior  to  the  fogs  of  prejudice  and  passion,  to  behold  in  the  clear  atmos- 
phere of  reason  all  things  in  their  true  light  and  posture,  and  never  expose 
yourself  to  be  surprised  while  the  sun  shines,  in  a  fit  of  drowsiness  or  slumber. 

"  CHILDREN  OF  THE  SECOND  TRIBE  :  The  TIGER  affords  a  useful  lesson 
for  you.  The  exceeding  agility  of  this  creature,  the  extraordinary  quickness 
of  his  sight,  and,  above  all,  his  discriminating  power  in  the  dark,  teach  you 
to  be  stirring  and  active  in  your  respective  callings,  to  look  sharp  to  every 
engagement  you  enter  into,  and  to  let  neither  misty  days  nor  stormy  nights 
make  you  lose  sight  of  the  worthy  object  of  your  pursuit. 

"  CHILDREN  OF  THE  THIRD  TRIBE  :  You  are  to  pay  good  attention  to  the 
qualities  of  the  DEER.  He  possesses  uncommon  readiness  of  hearing  —  can 
judge  of  sounds  at  a  great  distance.  In  like  manner  open  ye  your  ears  to 


192  IMPROVED   ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

whatever  is  passing;  collect  the  substance  of  distant  rumors,  and  learn 
before  dangers  surround  your  corn-fields  and  wigwams  what  is  going  on  at  a 
distance. 

"CHILDREN  OF  THE  FOURTH  TRIBE:  There  is  one  quality  of  the  WOLF 
to  which  I  would  call  your  attention.  His  wide  extent  of  nostrils  catches 
the  atoms  floating  in  the  air,  and  gives  him  notice  of  the  approach  of  his 
prey  or  his  foe.  Thus  when  power  grows  rank,  and  like  a  contagion  sends 
abroad  its  pestilent  streams,  I  see  the  WOLF,  like  the  myrmidons  of  Tam- 
many, the  first  to  rouse,  turn  his  head  and  snuff  oppression  in  every  breeze. 

"  CHILDREN  OF  THE  FIFTH  TRIBE  :  You,  my  children,  are  to  take  useful 
hints  of  the  BUFFALO.  He  is  one  of  the  strongest  animals  in  the  wilderness  ; 
but  strong  as  he  is  he  loves  the  company  of  his  kind,  and  is  not  fond  of 
venturing  upon  distant  excursions.  This  is  wise  in  the  buffalo,  and  wise  it 
will  be  in  you  to  imitate  him.  Operate  in  concert,  stand  together,  support 
one  another,  and  you  will  be  a  mountain  that  nobody  can  move ;  fritter  down 
your  strength  in  divisions,  become  the  spirit  of  parties,  let  wigwam  be 
divided  against  wigwam,  and  you  will  be  an  ant-hill  which  a  baby  can  kick 
over. 

"  CHILDREN  OF  THE  SIXTH  TRIBE  :  That  social  and  valuable  creature,  the 
DOG,  offers  something  for  you  to  profit  by.  The  warmth  of  his  attachment, 
the  disinterestedness  of  his  friendship,  and  the  unchangefulness  of  his  fidelity, 
mark  him  as  the  object  of  your  kindness  and  imitation.  Do  but  love  with 
half  the  warmth,  sincerity  and  steadiness  with  which  these,  your  constant 
hunting  companions,  love  you  all,  and  happiness,  comfort,  and  joy  will  make 
your  land  their  dwelling-place,  and  ye  shall  experience  all  the  pleasure  that 
human  nature  can  bear. 

"  CHILDREN  OF  THE  SEVENTH  TRIBE  :  You  are  to  take  pattern  after  the 
BEAVER.  His  industry  merits  your  regard.  Forests  must  be  cleared,  hills 
levelled,  rivers  turned  to  accomplish  your  plans.  Labor  and  perseverance 
overcome  all  things ;  for  I  have  heard  old  people  say  their  ancestors  assisted 
in  making  the  sun,  immense  as  he  appears,  by  collecting  into  a  heap  all  the 
fire-flies  and  glow-worms  they  could  find ;  and  the  moon,  whose  light  is 
fainter  and  size  smaller,  was  in  like  manner  formed  by  gathering  into  a  pile 
all  the  fox-fire  or  phosphoric  rotten  wood  they  could  procure. 

"  CHILDREN  OF  THE  EIGHTH  TRIBE  :  The  SQUIRREL,  my  children,  offers 
something  profitable  to  you.  It  is  his  practice,  as  he  has  a  foresight  of 
winter,  to  collect  acorns,  chestnuts,  and  walnuts  and  carry  them  in  large 
quantities  to  his  hole.  In  like  manner  it  becomes  you  to  look  forward  to  the 
winter  of  life,  and  have  some  provision  necessary  for  yourselves  at  that 
needy  time.  This  you  may  enjoy  at  your  firesides,  while  all  around  you  frost 
rends  the  trees  asunder,  and  the  white  powder  lies  so  thick  upon  the  ground 
that  you  cannot  venture  out  without  your  snow-shoes. 

"  CHILDREN  OF  THE  NINTH  TRIBE  :  You  are  to  learn  a  lesson  from  the 
Fox.  He  looks  well  before  him  as  he  travels,  examines  carefully  the  ground 
he  treads  upon,  and  takes  good  care  that  his  enemies  do  not  come  upon  him 
by  surprise.  Such  keen  examination  will  guard  you  from  difficulties ;  and, 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  193 

if  in  the  course  of  nature,  you  shall  be,  in  spite  of  all  this,  beset  by  them, 
nothing  will  more  effectually  enable  you  to  extricate  yourselves. 

"  CHILDREN  OF  THE  TENTH  TRIBE  :  The  TORTOISE,  who  supports  on  his 
back  the  world  we  inhabit,  offers  a  world  of  instruction  to  you.  Were  it 
not  for  his  benevolence  in  keeping  afloat  on  the  immense  ocean  in  which  he 
swims,  this  land  we  inhabit  would  soon  go  to  the  bottom  ;  and  the  displeasure 
he  feels  when  men  lead  lives  of  idleness  and  vice,  when  tfcey  quarrel  and 
injure  their  neighbors  and  families,  has  induced  him  more  than  once  to  dip 
a  part  of  his  shell  under  the  water,  and  drown  a  set  of  wretches  no  longer  fit 
to  live.  If,  then,  you  wish  to  attain  a  long  life,  be  honest,  upright  and 
industrious. 

"CHILDREN  OF  THE  ELEVENTH  TRIBE:  I  recommend  to  your  attention 
the  wholesome  counsel  derived  to  man  from  the  EEL.  He  was  never  known 
to  make  a  noise  or  disturbance  in  the  world,  nor  to  speak  an  ungentle 
sentence  to  a  living  creature.  Slander  never  proceeded  from  his  mouth,  nor 
cloth  guile  rest  under  his  tongue.  Are  you  desirous,  my  children,  of  modest 
stillness  and  quiet?  Would  you  like  to  live  peaceably  among  men?  If  such 
be  your  desires,  learn  a  lesson  of  wisdom  from  the  EEL,  who,  although  he 
knows  neither  his  birth  nor  his  parentage,  but  is  cast  an  orphan  upon  creation, 
yet  shows  by  his  strength  and  numbers  the  excellence  of  the  mode  of  life 
he  has  chosen. 

"  CHILDREN  OF  THE  TWELFTH  TRIBE  :  I  shall  point  out  for  your  improve- 
ment some  excellent  traits  in  the  character  of  the  BEAR.  He  is  distinguished 
for  his  patient  endurance  of  those  inconveniences  which  he  finds  it  impossi- 
ble to  ward  off.  Thus  when  scarcity  threatens  your  country  with  famine  — 
when  disease  among  the  beasts  strew  your  hunting-grounds  with  carcases  — 
when  insects  destroy  your  beans,  and  worms  corrode  the  roots  of  your  corn 
—  when  the  streams  refuse  their  accustomed  supplies,  or  when  the  clouds 
withhold  their  rain,  bear  with  patience  and  resignation  whatever  necessity 
imposes  upon  you.  Show  yourselves  men ;  for  it  is  adversity  which  gives 
scope  to  your  talents. 

"CHILDREN  OF  THE  THIRTEENTH  TRIBE:  I  call  your  attention  to  the 
economy  of  the  BEE.  You  can  observe  among  those  creatures  a  discipline 
not  surpassed  by  anything  the  woods  afford.  Idlers,  vagrants,  and  em- 
bezzlers of  public  property  have  no  toleration  there.  Regularity  and  method 
pervade  every  department  of  their  government.  Borrow  from  them  an  idea 
of  arrangement  in  business ;  and  above  all  derive  from  their  instructive  ex- 
ample that  alchemy  of  mind,  which,  by  an  operation  somewhat  analogous 
to  the  production  of  nectar  from  venom,  converts  private  feelings  into  public 
advantages,  and  makes  even  crimes  and  vices  ultimately  conducive  to  public 
good." 

•  After  delivering  these  precepts  to  his  tribes,  Tammany  de- 
parted for  his  interview  with  the  Inca,  which  proved  to  be  most 
interesting  and  beneficial  to  all  parties.  On  returning  to  his 
native  country,  he  found  his  old  enemy  had  taken  advantage  of 


194  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

his  absence,  and  had  instilled  notions  of  idleness  and  dissipation 
into  the  minds  of  his  people.  On  account  of  this,  diseases  had 
broken  out  among  them,  which  required  all  his  skill  and  sagacity 
to  subdue.  This,  however,  he  eventually  succeeded  in  doing, 
and  lived,  after  he  had  accomplished  it,  many  years  in  great 
happiness  and  wonderfully  beloved  by\his  people.  At  last,  after 
arriving  at  an  unusual  age,  that  universal  palsy,  which,  in  the 
natural  course  of  things,  immediately  precedes  death,  terminated 
his  life  without  either  sickness  or  pain,  and  he  expired  without  a 
sigh  or  a  groan.  Great  honors  were  paid  to  his  memory.  After- 
more  ceremony  than  was  ever  shown  to  any  corpse  before,  they 
committed  the  body  of  Tammany  to  the  ground,  after  their 
manner,  and  raised  over  it  a  large  mound  of  earth.  Curious 
antiquarians  have  detected  the  spot,  though  they  know  not  its 
design  or  use,  for  he  lies  within  the  great  Indian  fort,  near  Mus- 
kingum,  beneath  the  hillock  which  they  have  so  often  admired 
—  a  monument  for  size  and  labor  second  to  nothing  of  the  kind 
save  the  Pyramids  of  Egypt. 

Such  is  the  legendary  history  of  Tammany.  Of  his  real  life 
we  know  but  little,  but  that  little  upsets  much  of  the  poetry  of 
the  foregoing  account,  as  we  doubt  not  an  explicit,  unvarnished 
narrative  of  the  deeds  of  Hercules  and  Ajax  would  many  of  the 
remarkable  exploits  which  have  been  attributed  to  them  by  the 
pens  of  the  classic  poets.  One  statement  informs  us  that  Tam- 
many, or,  as  captious  orthographists  contend,  Tamanend,  was 
settled  within  the  bounds  of  Pennsylvania  when  William  Penn 
came  to  America ;  that  he  lived  then  near  the  Schuylkill,  but  at 
the  time  of  his  death  resided  in  Bucks  County,  near  Doylestown, 
and  is  buried  near  a  spring  about  four  miles  from  the  latter  place. 
It  is  believed,  though  not  positively  known,  that  Tamanend  was 
present  at  the  great  council  under  the  elm  tree  at  Shakamaxon, 
upon  Penn's  first  arrival  in  this  country.  All  the  chiefs  of  the 
tribes  of  the  Lenni  Lenape  were  there,  and  it  is  not  at  all  prob- 
able that  so  distinguished  a  king  as  Tammany  would  have  been 
absent.  As,  however,  there  was  no  treaty  signed  at  the  first 
interview,  which  was  only  intended  for  the  purpose  of  exchang- 
ing assurances  of  friendship,  the  names  of  those  present  have 
never  been  preserved.  The  first  treaty  for  the  purchase  of  lands, 
made  by  Penn  with  the  Indians,  is  dated  April  23,  1683,  and  in 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  '   195 

that  Tamanend  and  Metamequam  relinquished  their  right  and 
title  to  a  tract  lying  between  Pennypack  and  Neshaminy  creeks. 
In  the  great  treaty,  by  which  a  large  portion  of  Pennsylvania 
was  acquired,  dated  the  3Oth  of  May,  1685,  the  name  of  Tama- 
nend does  not  appear.  From  this  we  infer  that  he  must  have 
deceased  between  these  years.  This  opinion  is  strengthened  by 
the  fact  that  all  accounts  of  him  agree  in  the  statement  that  he 
died  but  a  short  time  after  Penn  settled  in  this  country  —  indeed, 
Perm  himself  related,  in  his  account  of  the  first  settlement  of 
Pennsylvania,  that  "he  found  him  an  old  man,  yet  vigorous  in 
mind  and  body,  with  high  notions  of  liberty,  but  easily  won  by 
the  suavity  and  peaceable  address  of  the  governor."  Another 
account,  differing  only  slightly  from  the  above,  represents  him 
as  a  noted  chief  of  the  Delaware  nation,  the  head  of  the  power- 
ful confederacy  of  the  Lenni  Lenape,  and  his  wigwam  stood 
where  Princeton  College  is  now  located. 

At  all  events,  Tammany  was  disposed  to  cultivate  the  friend- 
ship of  the  palefaces,  and  had  the  sagacity  to  perceive  that  their 
knowledge  of  the  mechanical  and  agricultural  arts  rendered 
them  much  superior  to  his  own  people  in  power  and  intelli- 
gence. That  he  lived  to  a  great  age,  is  universally  attested  by 
all  accounts,  both  historical  and  legendary.  Cooper,  in  his 
novel,  the  "  Last  of  the  Mohicans,"  represents  him  as  referring 
to  his  age  in  the  following  beautiful  manner.  At  the  death  of 
Uncas,  he  exclaims  — "  My  day  has  been  too  long.  In  the 
morning,  I  saw  the  sons  of  Unamis  happy  and  strong,  and  yet, 
before  the  night  has  come,  have  I  lived  to  see  the  last  warrior 
of  the  wise  race  of  the  Mohicans."  He  is  sometimes  repre- 
sented as  an  Iroquois  chieftain,  and  one  of  the  first  converted 
to  Christianity  by  the  French  missionaries ;  and  it  has  been 
stated  that  he  was  actually  enrolled  among  the  saints  of  the 
calendar.  But  this  is  a  mistake.  Tammany  was  not  an  Iro- 
quois, but  belonged  to  the  confederacy  of  the  Lenni  Lenape, 
and  was  doubtless  a  Delaware. 

Various  spellings  of  his  name  are  given,  Tamina,  Tammany, 
Tammanen,  Temeny,  Tamanend,  Tamane,  Tamaned,  by  the 
different  authors  and  historians  who  have  written  concerning 
his  history  ;  but  modern  usage  has  accepted  "Tammany"  as  the 
correct  orthography. 


196  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Tammany  was,  however,  without  any  question,  one  of  the 
most  distinguished  Red  Men  who  ever  lived.  He  was  kind, 
merciful,  and  brave.  He  taught  hi;;  children  to  cultivate  the 
arts  of  peace,  as  well  as  to  subdue  their  enemies.  Under  his 
reign,  the  confederacy  of  the  Lenni  Lenape  became  powerful 
and  mighty.  Then  living  to  a  remarkable  age  —  so  great  as  to 
be  called  "Tamanend  of  many  days  "  —  he  was  looked  upon  as 
a  patriarch,  and  reverenced  with  all  that  strength  of  affection 
which  the  sons  of  the  forest  always  bestowed  upon  their  chief- 
tains. Such  was  the  man  whom  the  patriots  of  the  Revolution 
adopted  as  their  tutelar  saint ;  and  if  they  could  not  claim  that 
he  had  performed  miracles,  they  could  at  least  point  to  him  as 
one  who  had  rendered  good  service  both  to  his  own  people  and 
to  the  whites,  and  who,  while  he  endeavored  to  live  in  peace 
with  all  men,  would  suffer  neither  wrong  nor  abuse,  nor  submit 
to  a  loss  of  his  liberty  or  his  rights. 

This  chapter  should  not  be  closed  without  calling  attention  to 
the  fact  that  the  Tammany  Societies  which  we  have  described 
were  organized  no  further  north  than  New  York.  We  have 
discovered  no  trace  of  them  in  the  New  England  States.  In 
that  section  of  the  country  all  the  patriotic  work  previous  to 
the  Revolution,  and  while  the  struggle  was  going  on,  was  done, 
as  we  have  shown,  by  the  Sons  of  Liberty.  It  will  be  remem- 
bered that  Tammany  was  a  chief  of  the  Lenni  Lenape.  Their 
hunting  grounds  covered  the  tract  of  land  including  Pennsyl- 
vania, Delaware,  and  part  of  Maryland.  While,  therefore,  it 
was  natural  for  the  Sons  of  Liberty  in  those  States  to  trans- 
form themselves  into  St.  Tammany  Societies,  the  influence  was 
not  equally  strong  with  the  Sons  of  Liberty  in  New  England. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  title  of  Red  Men  had  not  entered 
into  the  nomenclature  of  the  famous  Tamina  (or  Tammany) 
Societies  described  in  this  chapter.  These  words  as  a  part  of 
the  title  of  our  organization  do  not  appear  until  the  formation 
of  the  Society  of  Red  Men  at  Fort  Mifflin  in  1813,  concerning 
which  full  information  is  given  in  the  succeeding  chapter.  We 
have  shown  with  sufficient  clearness  to  satisfy  reasonable  criti- 
cism the  history  of  the  Order  through  its  traditional  period,  from 
the  Sons  of  Liberty  of  1765  and  the  St.  Tamina  Society  of  An- 
napolis in  1771,  down  to  the  War  of  1812.  It  may  be  asked  why 


PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES.  197 

it  was  necessary  to  change  the  name  of  the  Society  if  the  con- 
nection was  as  we  claim  between  its  membership  and  that  of 
the  Tammany  Societies  existing  previously.  It  is  a  sufficient 
answer  to  this  query  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  originally 
the  Tammany  Societies  were  formed  for  social  and  benevolent 
purposes.  They  became  perverted  from  the  original  idea,  and 
largely  political  in  their  general  nature.  When  a  reorganization 
was  desired  along  the  lines  of  the  original  affiliation,  to  carry 
out  the  principles  of  patriotism  and  benevolence,  it  was  natural 
that  a  new  name  should  be  selected  to  avoid  whatever  of  odium 
had  become  connected  with  the  old  Society  mainly  through  tak- 
ing active  part  in  politics.  The  desire  to  retain  the  features 
taken  from  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  Indians  doubtless 
suggested  the  use  of  the  name  "  Red  Men."  We  feel  justified 
in  making  the  claim  that  the  suggestion  which  led  to  this  selec- 
tion of  the  name  of  "  Red  Men  "  for  the  organization  formed  at 
Fort  Mifflin,  came  from  knowlege  of,  indeed  actual  membership 
in,  the  previous  organizations  known  as  St.  Tammany  Societies 
that  existed  as  recorded  in  this  chapter,  and  this  is  further  sus- 
tained by  the  evidence  submitted  to  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  and  upon 
which  was  based  its  action  declaring  1771  as  the  date  of  the 
origin  of  the  Order.  It  must  be  remembered,  also,  that  the  in- 
formation herein  stated  has  been  gathered  from  the  fragmentary 
accounts  of  these  various  societies  given  in  the  papers  of  the 
time.  We  know  even  in  our  own  days  how  little  information  of 
the  interior  history  of  an  organization  appears  in  the  public 
press.  It  is  not  surprising,  therefore,  that  we  are  unable  to 
command  the  absolute  historic  data  to  establish  beyond  question 
the  connection  between  the  Tammany  Societies  which  we  have 
described  and  the  Society  of  Red  Men  that  succeeded  them. 

Having  due  regard,  therefore,  to  the  meagre  and  fragmen- 
tary nature  of  the  accounts  published  in  the  contemporaneous 
papers,  the  wonder  is  that  so  much  of  interest  and  historical 
value  has  been  preserved  rather  than  that  it  is  impossible  to 
identify  the  individuality  which  would  make  the  connection 
between  the  Tammany  Societies  and  their  successor  absolute 
and  complete.  One  thing  is  certain,  from  the  very  political 
nature  of  the  Tammany  Societies  in  their  second  stage,  they 
included  the  energetic,  ambitious  party  leaders  of  that  time. 


198 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 


When  the  War  of  1812  broke  out  we  find  the  names  of  mem- 
bers of  these  Societies  prominent  among  those  who  rallied  a 
second  time  for  the  defence  of  our  country.  It  is  not  improba- 
ble that  the  garrison  at  Fort  Mifflin  contained  many  who  were 
members  of  the  Tammany  Societies,  although  we  cannot  posi- 
tively establish  that  fact. 

With  these  explanatory  remarks  we  close  this  chapter,  and 
proceed  to  the  consideration  of  that  Society  formed  in  1813 
which  became  the  successor  of  the  St.  Tamina  Society  of  1771, 
and  the  connection  link  between  the  Patriotic  Societies  of  the 
Revolution  and  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  of  1834.  We 
pass  from  the  region  of  tradition  to  supposition  and  present  for 
the  consideration  of  the  reader  information  at  once  interesting 
and  instructive  concerning  the  second  period  in  the  History  of 
our  Order  from  1813  to  1834. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

SOCIETY    OF    RED    MEN    (1813-1833). 

WE  come  now  to  the  second  epoch  in  the  history  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  and  to  the  consideration  of  those 
societies,  whose  origin  was  claimed  to  be  in  1813,  and  which 
existed  from  1816  down  to  1833  ;  which  used  the  name  of  Red 
Men,  and  included  in  their  membership  many  who  were  after- 
wards members  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  established 
at  Baltimore  in  1833.  This  portion  of  our  history  is  based 
upon  documents  in  the  possession  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States,  to  which  access  has  been  had  by  those  under 
whose  direction  this  history  has  been  prepared,  and  which  have 
already  been  used  to  establish  the  claim  that  the  origin  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  dated  from  1813  at  Fort  Mifflin, 
on  the  Delaware  River  near  Philadelphia. 

The  researches  of  Past  Great  Incohonee  Morris  H.  Gorham 
were  directed  to  the  establishment  of  this  claim.  An  address 
by  Past  Great  Incohonee  -Hugh  Latham,  at  Lancaster,  Pa., 
October  21,  1857,  referred  to  certain  vague  traditions  which 
pointed  to  Fort  Mifflin  as  its  birth-place,  and  to  the  interval 
between  the  years  1812  and  1815  as  the  time  of  its  birth. 

In  that  part  of  the  history  devoted  to  extracts  from  the 
printed  records  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  a 
detailed  statement  is  made  of  the  action  taken  by  said  body 
towards  establishing  the  date  of  the  Order,  and  obtaining  pos- 
session of  certain  documents  said  to  be  in  the  hands  of  parties 
formerly  members  of  the  Society  of  Red  Men,  and  to  the  subse- 
quent acquisition  of  these  documents,  and  their  use  by  Brother 
Gorham  and  the  authors  of  the  present  history. 

The  documents  referred  to  had  remained  in  the  possession  of 
Mr.  James  J.  Loudenslager,  a  gilder  and  carver  by  trade,  from 
the  year  1831  until  April  7,  1866,  when  they  were  acquired  by 

199 


200  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Brother  Gorham  in  behalf  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States. 

The  documents  thus  opportunely  recovered  are  fragmentary 
in  their  nature,  and  not  as  full  and  complete  as  is  necessary  to 
positively  establish  historical  facts.  They  contained  sufficient, 
however,  to  fully  illustrate  what  has  been  termed  herein  the 
second  epoch  in  the  history  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men.  Among  the  documents  may  be  mentioned  the  Minute 
Book  of  the  Society  of  Red  Men,  an  account  book  between  the 
Society  and  its  members,  printed  notices  of  meetings,  and  other 
papers  of  a  nature  similar  to  what  societies  of  this  kind  issue 
and  use  in  the  transaction  of  their  business.  Scattered  through 
these  books  and  papers  are  the  names  by  which  the  members 
were  known.  The  Society  followed  the  Indian  custom  by  giv- 
ing to  each  paleface  adopted  a  new  name.  This  new  name  was 
used  invariably  when  referring  to  the  brother,  and  unless  in 
possession  of  the  key,  the  personal  identity  of  each  brother 
was  safely  hidden.  If  a  brother  was  appointed  to  serve  on  a 
committee,  the  record  would  be  made  something  after  this 
fashion  :  "  Voted,  that  a  committee  consisting  of  '  Black  Wam- 
pum,' 'Split  Log,'  and  'Split  Log's  Brother,'  be  appointed  to 
arrange  an  entertainment  for  the  society  at  its  next  council 
fire." 

Meagre  though  these  documents  are,  they  furnish  sufficient 
evidence  to  establish  the  existence  of  the  Society  of  Red  Men, 
and,  further,  that  many  of  its  members  "sent  on  mission  to 
distant  States,"  furnished  in  one  instance  the  nucleus  around 
which  was  gathered  the  reorganization  in  the  present  form  of 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

Fort  Mifflin  is  situated  on  the  Delaware  River,  about  four 
miles  below  Philadelphia,  and  was  the  only  defensive  work  be- 
tween that  city  and  the  Capes.  It  was  an  old  British  fort  of  the 
Revolution,  and  was  located  on  the  southeast  extremity  of  Mud 
Island,  a  little  below  the  mouth  of  the  Schuylkill  River.  It  was 
a  strong  redoubt,  of  irregular  form,  constructed  of  stones,  bricks 
and  earth,  and  was  mounted  with  heavy  guns.  This  fort  still 
stands,  but  has  been  greatly  strengthened  and  improved. 

Fort  Mifflin  was  garrisoned  during  the  War  of  1812,  for  a 
time,  by  a  military  company  composed  of  the  sons  of  the  lead- 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN.  20 1 

ing  citizens  of  Philadelphia.  The  organization  was  known  by 
the  name  of  "Junior  Artillerists."  At  Fort  Mifflin  and  among 
these  volunteers  originated  the  "  Society  of  Red  Men."  This 
claim  is  based  partly  upon  the  Preamble  of  the  Constitution  of 
the  "  Red  Men's  Society  of  Pennsylvania,"  adopted  at  its  reor- 

•^p* 

ganization  in  1816  and  which  we  reproduce  as  follows :  — 

PREAMBLE. 

"  We  hold  it  as  a  sacred  truth,  that  all  men  are  born  equally  free,  and  are 
endowed  by  their  great  and  beneficent  Creator  with  the  right  of  enjoying 
and  defending  their  lives  and  liberties,  and  of  pursuing  their  own  happiness, 
so  far  as  they  conform  to  the  known  salutary  principles  laid  down  in  the  Con- 
stitution and  laws  of  our  beloved  country. 

"  Impressed  with  a  strong  sense  of  the  paramount  duties  we  owed  to  our 
country  for  the  blessings  of  liberty,  civil  and  religious,  which  we  enjoyed  by 
the  successful  termination,  by  our  forefathers,  of  the  War  of  Independence, 
many  of  us  entered  into  her  services  early  in  the  year  1813  (as  well  as  subse- 
quently), and  marched  as  volunteers  from  this  city,  Philadelphia,  to  garrison 
Fort  Mifflin,  then  commanded  by  Captain  James  N.  Barker  and  the  lamented 
Lieutenant  (Alexander  John)  Williams,  (2)  at  a  time  of  general  alarm,  and 
when  our  city  was  menaced  by  a  British  force. 

"  At  that  fort  originated  the  Society  of  Red  Men ;  instituted  not  only  for 
social  purposes,  but  to  relieve  each  other  in  sickness  or  distress ;  and  in  the 
event  of  battle,  solemnly  pledged  at  all  personal  hazards  firmly  to  adhere  to 
each  other  in  defence  of  our  country's  cause. 

"  Several  years  having  elapsed,  and  many  members  expressing  a  wish  that 
we  should  extend  the  views  of  the  early  members  by  forming  ourselves  into 
a  Benevolent  Society  to  relieve  the  distresses  of  each  other,  our  wives,  and 
children,  we,  therefore,  whose  names  are  hereunto  subscribed,  do  declare  that 
we  have  associated  ourselves  into  a  Benevolent  Society,  by  the  name,  style, 
and  title  of  the  Red  Men  of  Pennsylvania,  pledging  ourselves  to  observe  the 
following  rules  and  regulations  with  honor  and  good  faith." 

Fortunately  we  are  able  to  sustain  the  claim  made  that  the 
Society  of  Red  Men  originated  at  Fort  Mifflin  as  above  stated, 
in  another  and  strongly  corroborative  manner.  As  will  appear 
in  this  chapter,  the  Society  of  Red  Men  celebrated  several  im- 
portant occasions  as  feast  days  of  the  Order.  Among  these 
were  Washington's  Birthday,  February  22,  and  Saint  Tamina 
Day,  May  12.  On  February  22,  1825,  Puyumannawaton,  or 
"Great  Light  of  the  Council  Fire,"  delivered  "a  talk"  before 
the  Red  Men  of  Pennsylvania,  a  copy  of  which  is  among  the 


202  IMPROVED   ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

documents  in  our  possession.  After  eulogizing  William  Penn 
for  his  honesty  and  honor  in  his  intercourse  with  the  primitive 
Red  Men,  and  Washington  for  his  great  wisdom  and  soldierly 
conduct,  he  uses  language  as  follows  :  "  I  wish  now  to  take 
a  brief  glance  at  the  origin  of  our  institution.  In  1813,  when  a 
second  attempt  was  made  by  Great  Britain  to  subjugate  the 
United  States,  a  number  of  volunteer  warriors  from  this  city 
repaired  to  Fort  Mifflin  to  repel,  as  far  as  they  had  power,  the 
encroachments  of  the  enemy.  It  was  at  this  post,  then  com- 
manded by  Captain  James  N.  Barker,  that  our  present  institu- 
tion was  formed.  The  original  founders  wished,  by  identifying 
themselves  by  name  with  the  Aborigines  of  the  country,  to 
show  their  attachment  to  the  soil  they  inhabited,  which  they 
held  either  by  birth  or  adoption." 

This  declaration,  taken  in  connection  with  the  Preamble 
already  quoted,  is  evidence  sufficient  of  the  organization  at  Fort 
Mifflin  of  a  society  of  Red  Men.  When  we  learn  the  promi- 
nent position  occupied  by  the  person  from  whose  talk  we  have 
quoted,  it  will  be  seen  that  he  could  not  have  been  mistaken  in 
the  statement  made  by  him.  The  member  of  the  Society  who 
made  this  talk  was  Joseph  Kite,  and  as  late  as  November,  1822, 
he  was  the  Grand  Recording  Scribe  of  the  Society.  The  name 
of  Joseph  Kite  appears  on  the  Muster  Roll  of  the  "  Independent 
Blues,"  commanded  by  Captain  William  Mitchell,  which  com- 
pany served  on  garrison  duty  with  the  "Junior  Artillerists"  at 
Fort  Mifflin  in  March,  1813.  From  this  it  would  be  fair  to 
assume  that  he  was  one  of  the  original  founders  of  the  Society 
at  the  Fort.  Mr.  Kite  was  a  printer. by  profession  and  a  Quaker 
by  descent.  He  seems  to  have  been  a  man  of  warm  heart  and 
high  character.  He  was  an  enthusiastic  Red  Man  and  his  writ- 
ings, as  preserved  in  the  minutes  and  communications  by  him 
to  the  officers  of  the  Society,  show  a  deep  veneration  for  the 
Great  Master  of  Life,  and  from  his  qualities  of  mind  and  heart, 
he  seems  to  have  justified  the  peculiar  appropriateness  of  the 
title  by  which  he  had  been  invested,  — "  Great  Light  of  the 
Council  Fire."  In  1823  he  removed  to  Wilmington,  Delaware, 
where  he  organized  a  Tribe  which,  as  early  as  the  i8th  of  the 
second  moon,  had  adopted  86  palefaces. 

From  the  information  hereafter  given,  it  will  be  learned  that 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN.  203 

the  Society  of  Red  Men,  like  the  St.  Tammany  Societies  pre- 
ceding it,  used  the  forms  and  ceremonies  and  the  language  of 
the  primitive  Red*  Men.  Indeed,  for  some  time,  the  Society 
of  Red  Men  and  a  branch  of  the  St.  Tammany  Society  existed 
together  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and  the  names  of  several 
individuals  appear  upon  the  roll  of  membership  in  each^of  the 
two  organizations  at  the  same  time.  We  feel  justified,  there- 
fore, in  asserting  the  claim  that  the  inspiration  which  led  to  the 
selection  of  the  name  of  "  Red  Men  "  for  the  organization  formed 
at  Fort  Mifflin  came  from  knowledge  of,  and  probable  member- 
ship in,  the  previous  organizations  known  as  St.  Tammany 
Societies  that  existed  from  1771.  This  fact  is  further  sustained 
by  the  evidence  submitted  to  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  and  upon  which 
was  based  its  action  declaring  1771  as  the  date  of  the  origin  of 
the  Order.  With  this  preliminary  statement  we  pass  to  the 
consideration  of  the  work  of  the  Society  of  Red  Men  as  detailed 
in  the  Minute  Book  and  other  documents  in  the  possession  of 
the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States. 

Early  in  the  History  of  the  Society  we  find  the  loss  of  its 
early  records  deplored.  They  seem  to  have  fallen  into  the  hands 
of  persons  not  members  of  the  organization,  and  it  is  presumed 
they  were  never  recovered,  because  the  first  written  record  in 
the  Minute  Book  is  under  date  of  1821.  Among  the  documents 
is  a  muster  roll  and  account  book,  the  latter  containing  the 
names  of  members  of  the  organization  and  the  dates  of  certain 
charges  against  them  for  dues,  and  credits  of  cash  paid. 

On  some  of  the  accounts  credits  are  given  for  the  year  1816. 
It  was  in  this  year  also  that  a  notice  was  inserted  in  a  Philadel- 
phia newspaper  calling  for  a  meeting  of  the  members  of  the 
Society  for  the  purpose  of  reorganization.  This  would  indicate 
that  the  reorganization  took  place  in  the  latter  part  of  1816. 
The  scattering  of  the  garrison  of  Fort  Mifflin,  and  the  discharge 
of  the  soldiers  among  whom  the  Society  had  been  organized,  at 
the  close  of  the  war,  would  account  for  the  period  between  1813 
and  1816  while  the  Society  was  lying  dormant.  It  is  sufficiently 
explicit,  however,  to  say  that  the  reorganization  took  place  in 
1816.  The  account  book  referred  to  contains  the  names  of  76 
members,  while  in  the  latter  part  of  the  book  are  given  the 
names  of  the  members  and  the  Indian  name  with  its  transla- 


204  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

tion,  assigned  to  each  on  his  adoption  into  the  Society.  The 
custom  seems  to  have  prevailed  also,  on  the  death  or  discharge 
of  a  member,  to  confer  his  name  and  title  upon  some  other 
member,  or  upon  a  paleface  at  adoption. 

There  were  ten  officers  of  the  Society,  as  follows  :  General- 
issimo, First  and  Second  Captain-Generals,  Grand  Recording 
Scribe,  Treasurer,  Grand  Door-Keeper,  and  four  Tryors,  who 
were  sometimes  called  Warriors.  The  Generalissimo  was  the 
presiding  officer  of  the  Society  with  almost  absolute  power  in 
the  matter  of  decisions  on  the  ceremonies  and  legislation  of  the 
Society.  The  First  and  Second  Captain-Generals  were  the 
special  aids  of  the  Generalissimo  to  assist  him  while  present 
and  act  for  him  in  his  absence,  performing  ditties  similar  to 
those  now  exercised  by  the  Junior  and  Senior  Sagamores. 
There  was  a  limitation  to  their  power,  however,  unless  acting 
under  special  authority  from  the  Generalissimo  in  certain  cases. 
Thirteen  members  constituted  a  quorum.  Membership  was 
limited  to  citizens  of  the  United  States,  and  admission  was 
denied  to  any  person  owning  or  holding  a  slave. 

Applicants  for  membership  were  proposed  by  a  brother  and 
referred  to  a  committee  which  inquired  into  the  character  and 
fitness  of  each  applicant  and  ascertained  if  he  was  a  citizen  of 
the  United  States.  The  report  having  been  made,  a  ballot  was 
taken  which  the  laws  required  to  be  unanimous  or  the  applicant 
was  rejected.  It  was  not  customary  to  initiate  candidates  on 
the  night  of  election,  although  the  constitution  was  sometimes 
suspended  to  permit  this  to  be  done. 

At  the  admission  of  a  candidate  he  was  placed  in  charge  of 
the  Grand  Door-Keeper  who  made  the  necessary  preparations 
and  presented  him  to  the  Generalissimo.  He  was  required  to 
answer  certain  questions  regarding  his  own  citizenship  and 
principles,  and  his  motive  in  desiring  to  become  a  Red  Man. 
His  answers  being  satisfactory  he  was  by  unanimous  consent 
allowed  to  proceed. 

When  he  was  put  to  trial,  to  test  his  sincerity  and  to  prepare 
his  mind  for  the  instruction  about  to  be  given,  he  was  warned 
that  "  Red  Men  were  men  without  fear,  and  that  none  but  such 
could  be  engrafted  on  the  Tribe."  Having  "  passed  the  ordeal, 
and  come  out  as  a  man  should  who  knows  no  fear,"  he  was 


THE    RAIN    MAKER. 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN. 


205 


again  presented  to  the  Generalissimo  for  further  instructions. 
Among  the  instructions  quoted  as  coming  from  the  old  manu- 
scripts may  be  mentioned  these  :  "  Red  Men  administer  no 
oaths  binding  you  to  any  political  or  religious  creed  ;  they  bind 
neither  your  hands  nor  your  feet ;  as  you  enter  their  wigwam 
so  you  depart,  a  free  man."  .  .  .  "  Here  we  sit  in  the  full  con- 
fidence of  each  other's  friendship,  bound  together  by  the  strong 
ties  of  brotherly  love.  The  motto  of  the  Society  is  Freedom, 
and  while  claiming  its  privileges  and  blessings  for  ourselves, 
we  aim  no  less  than  to  exert  Toleration  to  others." 

"Being  thus  united  as  Red  Men,  prudence  admonishes  us  to 
exact  from  those  who  would  become  affiliated  with  us  a  simple 
pledge  of  honor,  as  an  assurance  "of  fidelity  and  trustworthi- 
ness." ..."  Are  you  willing  to  give  such  assurance  ?  "  The 
answer  being  favorable  the  instructions  continued.  "Then,  sir, 
looking  upon  you  as  a  man  of  honor,  one  who  regards  his  word 
as  binding  on  his  conscience  as  an  oath  possibly  can  be,  we  bid 
you  proceed,  and  caution  you  that  all  you  may  hear  or  see  in 
the  wigwam  are  the  secrets  of  Red  Men,  and  must  be  kept 
inviolate." 

During  the  ceremony  he  underwent  the  Rite  of  Investiture, 
in  which  a  new  name  was  conferred  upon  him  by  which  he  was 
always  referred  to  in  the  councils  of  the  Tribe.  He  was 
required  to  remember  this  name,  and  record  is  made  of  the 
expulsion  of  one  unfortunate  brother  who  had  forgotten  his 
name  of  adoption  on  the  night  of  admission. 

The  names  conferred  seem  to  have  had  reference  to  the  call- 
ing or  profession  of  the  palefaces  adopted.  For  instance, 
William  Muirhead  was  the  proprietor  of  a  house  of  public  enter- 
tainment, and  he  received  as  his  name  Withea  of  Missouri  or 
"  Hospitality."  Sometimes  the  relationship  of  a  father  and  son 
or  of  two  brothers  was  indicated  by  the  name  assigned,  as  for 
instance,  William  Marley,  who  was  given  the  name  signifying 
"Moose  Deer"  while  his  son  was  called  "Young  Moose  Deer." 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  titles  used  by  the  officers  of  the 
Society  were  military  in  their  character.  This  may  have  been 
due  to  the  military  origin  of  the  organization,  and  the  fact 
that  soldiers  exclusively  organized  it.  In  the  secret  ceremonies 
of  the  organization  Indian  titles  alone  were  used, 


206  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

The  means  of  communication  between  the  central  organiza- 
tion and  its  branches  in  the  various  States  were  limited,  and 
this  required  a  large  number  of  subordinate  officers,  each  of 
whom  had  his  own  staff  of  assistants.  These  officers  ranged 
from  the  Generalissimo,  who  was  the  Commander-in-Chief  of  all 
of  the  Red  Men,  and  the  presiding  chief  of  the  Society  while  in 
council,  down  through  the  various  grades  of  Captain-General, 
Lieutenant-General,  etc.,  to  the  brothers  of  the  Order.  The 
grades  of  rank  were  indicated  by  emblems  worn  upon  badges 
consisting  of  a  bright  red  ribbon  about  twelve  inches  long  and 
two  and  one-fourth  inches  wide.  The  emblems  upon  the  badges 
were  formed  by  variations  of  six-pointed  and  five-pointed  stars, 
scalping  knife  and  tomahawk,  with  silver  and  gold  bullion  fringe. 

The  records  speak  of  Generalissimo,  First  and  Second  Cap- 
tain-Generals, six  Lieutenant-Generals,  twenty  Major-Generals, 
forty  Brigadier-Generals,  and  an  unknown  number  of  Brevet 
Brigadier-Generals,  Lieutenant-Colonels,  Colonels,  etc.  The 
Lieutenant-Colonels,  of  whom  there  were  one  hundred  or  more, 
were  aids  to  the  superior  officers.  Besides  these  there  were 
ten  Kings,  several  Half-Kings,  ten  Majors,  nine  Brevet-Majors, 
nineteen  Captains,  twelve  Brevet-Captains,  seven  Lieutenants, 
six  Sachems,  seventeen  Chiefs,  twenty-five  Old  Men  in  Council, 
and  three  Squaw  Sachems. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  each  of  these  in  addition  to  his 
military  title  had  the  Indian  name  and  its  signification,  as  con- 
ferred upon  him  at  the  time  of  his  adoption. 

By  the  assistance  of  these  subordinate  officers  the  Society 
was  extended  into  various  parts  of  the  country.  The  documents 
and  records  of  the  Society  contain  the  reports  made  by  these 
brothers  "absent  on  mission"  and  indicate  with  a  clearness 
sufficient  for  all  practical  purposes,  the  places  where  branches 
of  the  organization  were  established.  The  means  of  commu- 
nication between  .  distant  parts  of  the  country  being  at  that 
time  very  crude,  this  multiplicity  of  officers  and  complicated 
system  of  official  machinery  was  adopted  by  the  founders  of  the 
Society  to  "lengthen  the  chain  of  friendship,"  and  "extend  its 
principles."  The  rule  seems  to  have  been  that  whenever  a 
qualified  brother  intended  to  visit  a  distant  locality  either  for 
temporary  or  permanent  residence,  he  was  given  the  necessary 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN.  207 

authority  to  instruct  palefaces  or  establish  a  Tribe  if  opportu- 
nity should  offer,  just  as  at  the  present  time  a  Deputy  Great 
Incohonee  may  be  appointed  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a 
Tribe  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  in  territory  where 
none  exists.  If  his  residence  was  to  be  temporary,  he  was 
recorded  as  being  "on  mission."  If  he  succeeded  in  organiz- 
ing a  Tribe  or  branch  of  the  Society  at  his  new  residence,  then 
he  was  recorded  as  being  "on  command"  or  "commanding." 

As  an  illustration  of  what  is  here  stated,  there  is  a  record  of 
Joseph  Higginbottom  whose  Indian  name  was  Nescoureaosca, 
or  "  Black  Cat's  Father."  He  was  thirty-second  Brigadier-Gen- 
eral and  fifteenth  Aid  to  the  Generalissimo.  He  is  on  the  rec- 
ord as  being  "on  mission  to  Virginia."  A  number  of  other 
brothers  are  recorded  as  being  "on  mission,"  but  the  locality  is 
not  stated. 

Early  in  the  year  1818,  it  is  recorded  that  Minowakanton,  or 
"  Ironstone,"  fifth  Major-General,  John  M.  Burns,  received  a 
commission  and  was  appointed  "  General-in-Chief  of  all  the 
Southern  Tribes,"  and  on  the  "  twelfth  moon  of  Snows  "  of  that 
year,  he  kindled  a  council  fire  in  the  city  of  Charleston,  S.C. 
The  tribe  thus  organized  in  Charleston,  it  is  stated,  prospered 
beyond  all  expectation  until  the  month  of  Heat,  1820,  when, 
owing  to  a  local  disease,  the  members  became  scattered  and  the 
Tribe  broken  up.  John  M.  Burns,  in  a  letter  to  the  General- 
issimo, at  that  time  "  Black  Wampum,"  under  date  of  the  month 

of  Leaves,  the  5th,  1826,  says:  — 

» 

"  I  was  appointed  in  1818,  General-in-Chief  of  all  the  Southern 
Tribes,  by  our  lamented  Generalissimo,  'Split  Log.'  Since 
the  death  of  that  great  counsellor  I  have  not  held  any  communi- 
cation with  the  Northern  Tribes.  Our  Tribe  held  their  council 
fire  in  the  month  of  Snows,  the  I2th,  1818,  and  prospered  be- 
yond all  expectations,  and  continued  so  until  the  month  of  Heat, 
1820,  but  owing  to  a  local  disease  coming  among  the  Tribe  which 
proved  fatal  and  carried  off  my  chief  aids,  '  Peruvian  Bark '  and 
'  Mainspring,'  which  caused  a  great  chasm  in  the  Council. 
They  were  buried  with  the  usual  honors  of  Red  Men,  beneath 
the  wigwam,  with  their  tomahawks.  The  plague  continued, 
which  caused  the  Tribe  to  scatter  all  over  the  wilderness,  taking 


208  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

with  them  their  squaws  and  papooses,  and  since  that  have  never 
been  re-united,  although  I  have  often  been  solicited  to  call  them 
together :  but  I  find  it  difficult  in  consequence  of  the  Tribe 
being  squandered  all  over  the  great  Forest.  '  Eagle  Eye '  holds 
an  appointment  under  government  in  Maryland,  and  'Walk-in- 
the-Water '  has  another  in  Florida,  and  '  Little  Oak '  has  an 
appointment  in  Mexico  ;  so  you  will  see  that  it  is  hard  to  form 
the  Tribe  after  losing  so  many  warriors  and  learned  counsellors. 
However,  I  shall  always  obey  the  orders  of  the  Generalissimo 
and  subscribe  myself, 

"  Your  Red  Brother, 

"MANOWHUCKINGTON  or  'GENERAL  IRONSTONE.'  ' 

The  institution  of  this  Tribe  at  Charleston  is  peculiar  for 
another  fact,  for  it  will  be  remembered  that  the  third  article  of 
the  By-Laws  declared  that  no  person  owning  or  holding  a  slave 
could  be  admitted. 

Without  attempting  to  give  in  proper  chronological  order,  the 
assignments  of  the  various  officers  on  mission,  mention  may  be 
made  of  various  commissions  -issued  to  show  the  introduction 
of  the  Society  into  various  places.  William  Smart,  known  as 
Wampalooshewaytie,  or  "Wheat  Straw,"  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  Colonel  on  the  I4th  of  March,  1821,  and  sent  on  mis- 
sion to  Alabama,  although  no  record  is  made  of  the  result.  In 
like  manner  certain  officers  are  recorded  as  being  commissioned 
to  command  in  New  Jersey,  although  the  date  is  not  stated. 
Elisha  L.  Antrim,  Major-General,  Voibisonthe,  or  "  Strong 
Water,"  is  entered  on  the  roll  as  commanding  in  New  Jersey. 
The  probabilities  are  that  the  Order  was  established  in  that 
State  about  the  time  that  it  was  taken  to  South  Carolina,  be- 
tween 1818  and  1821. 

There  is  likewise  an  uncertainty  as  to  the  exact  date  of  the 
introduction  of  the  Society  into  the  State  of  New  York.  The 
name  of  Kanytariys  of  Oneida,  or  "  Light  Wood,"  eleventh  Briga- 
dier-General, Richard  Lough,  appears  on  the  roll  as  "  command- 
ing in  New  York."  Under  date  of  the  loth,  fourth  moon,  1823, 
on  page  69  of  the  Minute  Book,  there  is  record  of  the  admission 
into  the  Philadelphia  Society  of  a  certain  number  of  persons 
who  were  entered  as  lumber  merchants.  There  is  also  among 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN.  209 

the  original  papers,  dated  September  26,  1824,  a  list  of  64 
members  as  compiled  by  John  B.  Sarzien,  whose  Indian  name 
was  Annenemvago,  or  "Balsam  Apple,"  who  is  entered  as 
Colonel  commanding  of  the  New  York  Tribe. 

We  find  recorded  the  application  for  recognition  of  "the 
benevolent  Tribe  of  Nassau,  established  in  the  village  of  Brook- 
lyn on  the  Island  of  Nassau,  in  the  State  of  New  York  ;  and 
to  form  a  mutual  and  friendly  correspondence  with  the  Tribe." 
This  authority  was  unanimously  granted,  as  shown  by  subse- 
quent references  in  the  minutes  and  correspondence  with  the 
Tribe. 

It  is  assumed  that  a  Tribe  was  established  at  Lancaster, 
Pa.,  some  time  between  1819  and  1821,  and  among  the  docu- 
ments preserved,  is  a  letter  signed  by  "  Smooth  Stone,"  Gen- 
eral at  Lancaster,  written  to  the  Generalissimo.  The  letter 
concludes  as  follows:  "We  have  formed  our  little  wigwam 
into  a  beneficial  society,  and  wish  very  much  that  you  would  do 
the  same.  We  have  a  dollar  admission,  and  three  five  penny 
bits  a  month,  which  goes  into  our  funds  for  the  relief  of  a  dis- 
tressed or  sick  brother,  and  we  are  intending  shortly  to  raise  it." 

On  page  16  of  the  Minute  Book  the  fact  is  recorded  that 
"  Wetahoopeto,  or  '  Yellow  Cat,'  George  Taylor,  was  brevetted 
from  the  rank  of  Brigadier  to  that  of  Major-General,  and  re- 
ceived a  special  certificate  with  power  to  make  Red  Men  in  New 
Orleans  and  to  initiate  them  into  the  signs  of  the  Tribe,  with  a 
request  that  he  should,  from  time  to  time,  report  to  the  Red 
Men  of  Pennsylvania,  the  situation  of  the  nation  over  which  he 
is  appointed  Sachem." 

The  Order  was  introduced  into  Delaware  by  Joseph'  Kite, 
whose  Indian  name,  as  previously  stated,  was  Puyumannawaton, 
or  "  Great  Light  of  the  Council  Fire."  While  the  precise  date 
of  the  institution  in  that  State  cannot  be  given,  we  find  his  name 
recorded  as  having  attained  the  rank  of  twenty-ninth  Brigadier- 
General  and  as  "  commanding  in  Delaware,"  and  on  page  55  of 
the  Minute  Book,  under  date  of  the  i8th  of  the  second  moon, 
1823,  it  is  stated  that  "the  Chief  of  the  Delaware  Tribe  reported 
that  since  he  had  received  power  to  initiate  brethren,  that  86 
persons  had  been  adopted  in  the  Tribe  and  received  the  appro- 
priate signs." 


210  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Reading,  Pa.,  may  claim  to  have  had  a  branch  of  the  or- 
ganization which  continued  its  existence  long  after  the  reor- 
ganization of  the  Society  into  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men 
at  Baltimore  in  1833.  On  page  147  of  the  Minute  Book  it  is  re- 
corded that  "the  Generalissimo  having  confidence  in  our  Brother 
Bowstring  (whose  other  name  was  Nementon,  George  Priest, 
Tailor),  resident  in  the  Borough  of  Reading,  in  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania,  promoted  him  to  the  rank  of  Brigadier-General, 
and  gave  to  him  full  powers  to  open  a  wigwam  in  the  Borough 
of  Reading,  and  to  initiate,  with  strict  precaution  and  in  due 
form,  into  the  Reading  Tribe  of  Red  Men,  all  such  white  men 
as  wish  to  become  Red  Men,  if  on  examination  they  shall  meet 
the  approbation  of  the  Council  sitting  at  his  council  fire." 

This  Tribe  maintained  a  prosperous  and  long-continued  ex- 
istence, although  not  alluded  to  in  the  records  of  the  Mother 
Society.  On  the  gth  of  October,  1849,  tne  Great  Council  of 
Pennsylvania  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  instructed  its 
Great  Chief  of  Records  to  correspond  with  the  Tribe  of  Red 
Men  at  Reading  for  the  purpose  of  inducing  them  to  come 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  said  Great  Council.  Nothing  definite 
seems  to  have  been  accomplished,  and  on  the  loth  of  April, 
1850,  the  matter  was  transferred  by  the  Great  Council  from  the 
Great  Chief  of  Records  to  the  Committee  of  Correspondence. 
However,  action  was  taken  January  16,  1851,  when  a  resolution 
was  adopted  as  follows  :  — 

"Resolved,  That  they  be  admitted  on  the  payment  of  the  charter  fee,  and 
that  their  past  chiefs  be  not  entitled  to  seats  in  this  Great  Council  until  they 
shall  have  passed  the  stumps  in  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men." 

On  the  1 5th  of  September,  1854,  the  matter  was  brought 
to  the  attention  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States 
by  a  series  of  resolutions  in  which  the  organization  was  re- 
ferred to  as  the  "  Ancient "  Order  of  Red  Men,  located  in 
the  city  of  Reading,  Pa.  This  term  was  used  not  because  it 
was  the  title  of  the  Tribe,  but  to  distinguish  it  from  the  Im- 
proved Order  of  Red  Men.  The  Society  at  Reading  was  the 
"  Reading  Tribe  of  Red  Men."  Again,  on  the  iQth  of  October, 
1854,  immediately  following  the  council  of  the  Great  Council 
of  the  United  States,  the  Great  Council  of  Pennsylvania  adopted 
resolutions  for  carrying  into  effect  the  legislation  of  the  Great 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN.  2  1 1 

Council  of  the  United  States.  It  may  be  assumed  that  the 
ancient  organization  was  absorbed  by  the  Improved  Order  soon 
after,  as  there  is  no  further  reference  to  the  matter  on  record. 

A  Tribe  was  organized  at  Germantown,  Pa.,  now  the  city 
of  Philadelphia,  for,  on  page  303  of  the  Minute  Book  is  re- 
corded the  fact  that  "  Brother  Big  Buttonwood  Tree  (Mus- 
kekittee  Wahtawaw)  was  appointed  Chief  of  the  Germantown 
Tribe." 

A  Tribe  must  have  existed  also  at  Albany,  N.Y.,  for  on 
page  341  of  the  Minute  Book  it  is  recorded  that  "  Brigadier- 
General  'Northern  Warrior  '  was  appointed  Chief  of  the  Albany 
Tribe,  and  in  due  form,  and  in  open  council  (by  a  warrant 
handed  to  him),  permitted  and  empowered  to  open  a  wigwam, 
etc.,  in  the  city  of  Albany,  in  the  State  of  New  York,  under 
the  title,  and  name  of  the  Albany  Tribe  of  Red  Men,  etc., 
dated  I3th  day  of  the  6th  moon,  1826." 

Concerning  the  introduction  of  the  Society  of  Red  Men  into 
the  city  of  Baltimore,  and  the  institution  there  of  branches 
which  afterwards,  through  the  individuals  composing  them, 
became  ^the  foundation  for  the  reorganization  into  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men,  we  defer  extended  mention  until  we  reach 
the  chapter  devoted  to  the  establishment  of  the  Order  in  Mary- 
land. It  is  sufficient  at  this  time  to  state  that  the  Society  of 
Red  Men  was  organized  in  Baltimore,  and  that  at  least  two  of 
its  most  prominent  members  moved  to  that  city  from  Philadel- 
phia, one  of  whom,  Richard  Marley,  afterwards  became  Great 
Incohonee  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

The  other,  William  Muirhead,  held  high  rank  in  the  Order 
in  Philadelphia.  His  Indian  name  was  Withea  of  Missouri  or 
"  Hospitality." 

The  first  Generalissimo  of  the  Order  was  Francis  Shallus, 
whose  Indian  name  was  Yeougheowanewago  or  "-Split  Log." 
He  was  born  about  the  year  1773.  He  was  possessed  of  con- 
siderable literary  talent,  and  in  1817  published  a  work  in  two 
volumes  entitled  "  Chronological  Tables  for  every  day  in  the 
year."  It  is  also  stated  that  he  was  an  engraver,  and  that  he 
personally  engraved  the  plates  on  which  were  printed  the  early 
notes  of  the  old  United  States  bank. 

Mr.  Thomas  J.  Louden slager,  from  whom  were  obtained  the 


212  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

old  documents  relating  to  the  Society  of  Red  Men,  is  quoted 
as  authority  for  the  statement  that  Mr.  Shallus,  through  his 
maternal  grandmother,  was  a  direct  descendant  of  the  Indian 
race,  and  that  to  this  fact  was  due  the  great  interest  he  felt  in 
establishing  the  Society  upon  the  manners  and  customs  of  that 
race.  The  early  literature  of  the  Order  shows  the  mark  of  his 
ability,  and  the  legislation  was  undoubtedly  shaped  by  his 
desires  and  influence. 

When  the  Society  was  reorganized  in  1816  the  Preamble 
indicates  that  the  intention  was  to  make  it  a  benevolent  Society 
exactly  as  it  is  at  the  present  time,  in  which  should  be  paid  a 
regular,  stipulated  amount  each  week  in  cases  of  sickness  or 
disability,  which  payment  should  be  made  as  a  right  and  not  as 
a  gratuity.  For  this  purpose  the  admission  fee  was  fixed  at 
$2.00  and  the  dues  at  25  cents  per  month.  For  some  reason 
which  is  not  recorded  the  original  idea  was  changed  and  the 
payment  of  a  stipulated  amount  weekly  was  discontinued,  and 
the  Society  became  purely  charitable,  dispensing  relief  to  needy 
members  when  requested.  References  are  frequent  in  the 
Minute  Book  where  the.  needy  condition  of  some  Brother  is 
brought  to  the  attention  of  the  Society,  and  either  direct  appro- 
priation from  the  funds  made  to  relieve  him,  or  a  committee 
chosen  to  raise  funds  for  that  purpose. 

Francis  Shallus  had  been  a  member  of  Philadelphia  Lodge, 
No.  72,  F.  &  A.  M.,  from  August  13,  1803,  to  April  9,  1808,  at 
which  latter  date  he  resigned  his  membership.  It  would  seem 
from  this  that  he  was  not  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity 
at  the  time  of  the  establishment  of  the  Society  of  Red  Men. 
Whether  his  connection  with  that  organization  influenced  the 
change  from  a  beneficial  to  a  charitable  organization  the  records 
do  not  indicate,  but  that  the  change  was  made  is  abundantly 
shown  by  the  documents  in  our  possession.  Mr.  Shallus  "  was 
intensely  American  in  sentiment  and  feeling,  and  a  close  stu- 
dent of  American  history,  particularly  that  portion  of  it  treating 
of  the  manners  and  customs  of  its  primitive  inhabitants."  His 
familiarity  with  the  Masonic  Fraternity  probably  gave  him  the 
experience  necessary  for  outlining  the  structure  of  the  organiza- 
tion which  he  instituted ;  but  there  is  nothing  in  the  ritualistic 
work,  the  forms  and  ceremonies,  the  legislation,  or  the  interior 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN,  213 

workings,  to  suggest  in  the  slightest  degree  the  Masonic  Fra- 
ternity. The  Society  of  Red  Men,  like  its  successor,  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  stands  original  and  distinct  from 
any  other  existing  organization. 

Francis  Shallus  died  on  the  I2th  day  of  November,  1821, 
after  a  painful  illness,  in  the  48th  year  of  his  age.  Every  effort 
seems  to  have  been  made  by  the  Society  to  render  proper  trib- 
ute of  respect  to  the  memory  of  the  dead  Generalissimo  ;  but 
the  records  indicate  that  some  wrangling  occurred  by  reason  of 
which  the  eulogy  on  the  character  a"nd  services  of  the  General- 
issimo, which  had  been  provided  for,  was  not  delivered. 

During  the  illness  of  the  Generalissimo  it  is  evident  that 
much  anxiety  was  felt  among  the  members  about  the  safety  of 
the  papers  and  documents  belonging  to  the  Society  which  were 
then  in  his  possession,  and  at  the  council  held  November  7, 
1821,  a  resolution  was  passed  providing  for  the  appointment  of 
a  committee  to  request  from  the  Generalissimo  all  papers,  books, 
and  documents  in  his  possession  relating  to  the  business  of  the 
Red  Men's  Society.  Had  it  been  possible  to  obtain  these 
papers,  as  contemplated  in  that  resolution,  there  is  not  the  slight- 
est doubt  but  that  the  complete  connection  between  the  Society 
of  Red  Men  of  1816  and  the  organization  at  Fort  Mifflin  would 
have  been  established,  as  well  as  information  beyond  price  con- 
cerning the  correspondence  between  the  Generalissimo  and  the 
members  of  the  Society  "on  mission,"  to  whom  he  had 
intrusted  the  work  of  establishing  branches  of  the  organization 
in  distant  States. 

On  page  3  of  the  Minute  Book,  under  date  of  July  7,  1822, 
is  recorded  a  resolution  which  was  adopted  providing  for  the 
appointment  of  a  committee  to  inquire  concerning  the  paper 
and  books  formerly  in  the  possession  of  the  late  Generalissimo, 
and  report  at  the  next  meeting,  the  committee  consisting  of 
"  Great  Light  of  the  Council  Fire,"  "  Racer,"  and  "  Deep 
River."  July  9,  1822,  this  committee  made  a  report  which  was 
as  follows  :  — 

To  the  Red  Men  in  Council  assembled. 

The  Brothers,  by  you  delegated,  to  inquire  for,  and  collect,  the  papers  and 
documents  of  the  Red  Men  of  Pennsylvania,  lay  upon  your  Council  board  the 
following  Report :  — 


214  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

By  a  train  of  unfortunate  events,  following  each  other  in  rapid  succession, 
the  papers  and  documents  of  Red  Men,  came  into  the  possession  of  White 
Men.  —  The  Committee  are  not  disposed  to  dwell  upon  the  causes ;  —  the 
individual  most  implicated  having  passed  the  dark  river  which  lies  at  the 
foot  of  the  Hill  of  Life!  A  Red  Man  has  with  trouble  and  Expense  redeemed 
them,  or  a  portion  of  them,  for  it  is  impossible  yet  to  ascertain  in  what  direc- 
tion the  winds  of  Misfortune  may  have  wafted  them.  The  Brother  who  holds 
what  has  been  collected  of  them  has  asked  no  remuneration  but  your  com- 
mittee deem  he  should  have  remuneration  —  for  they  know  that  the  Great 
Spirit,  the  good  Manetho,  delights  in  justice!  it  is  the  mantle  that  envelopes 
him  when  he  sits  upon  his  throne!  They  have  therefore  come  to  this  con- 
clusion, — 

That  $2.62}  be  paid  to  Brother  Otter  and  that  the  documents  of  the  Tribe 
of  Columbia  be  delivered  to  the  Generalissimo  —  and  request  that  a  new 
Committee  be  appointed  to  search  if  other  records  may  be  found,  and  to 
report  to  any  succeeding  Council  Fire. 

PUYUHTOMMAKON,  Or,  GREAT  LIGHT  OF  COUNCIL  FlRE. 

DEEP  RIVER 

WANKAPONCHET,  or  THE  RACER 

The  Committee. 
Dated,  the  8th  day  of  the  Seventh  Moon,  1822. 

The  above  extract  is  printed  just  as  it  appears  on  the  Minute 
Book,  the  punctuation  and  capitalization  being  followed.  Sev- 
eral errors  appear,  one  of  the  most  notable  being  in  the  name  of 
"Great  Light  of  the  Council  Fire,"  which  should  be  Puyum- 
mannawaton  instead  of  as  above  recorded. 

The  report  was  adopted,  and  V  Black  Wampum  "  and  "Otter" 
were  added  to'  the  committee.  A  subscription  was  taken  up 
among  the  Brothers  present  by  which  $2.92!  were  collected  and 
given  to  the  committee  for  the  purpose  of  reimbursing  Brother 
"Otter"  for  the  amount  of  money  which  he  had  paid  out  as  re- 
ported by  the  committee.  The  Brother  "  Black  Wampum " 
here  referred  to  was  George  Knorr,  who  succeeded  Francis 
Shallus  as  Generalissimo,  and  whose  Indian  title  was  Lappo- 
petung  or  "  Black  Wampum."  The  committee  seems  to  have 
met  with  partial  success  in  recovering  the  documents  because 
under  date  of  December  23,  1823,  a  resolution  was  adopted 
providing  for  "  a  book  into  which  should  be  entered  in  regular 
form  all  the  Minutes  in  the  hands  of  the  Generalissimo,  or  else- 
where existing  and  attainable,  and  the  Minutes  of  all  future 
Council  Fires  of  the  Red  Men  within  the  city  of  Philadelphia 
and  its  suburbs." 


SOCIETY  OF  RED   MEN. 

On  the  22d  of  January,  1824,  the  Grand  Recording  Scribe 
Wiverwaski,  or  "Red  Oak,"  reported  that  all  the  Minutes  up 
to  that  date  had  been  copied  into  a  book  which  he  presented  for 
the  inspection  of  the  members,  the  Minutes  commencing  with 
the  25th  of  the  sixth  Moon,  1822,  and  continuing  down  to  Janu- 
ary 24,  1824.  For  some  reason,  possibly  because  they  were 
not  then  "attainable,"  this  book  does  not  include  early  Minutes 
of  the  7th,  gth,  I4th,  and  2Oth,  of  November,  1821,  which  still 
exist  in  manuscript  form.  A  committee  was  appointed  to 
examine  the  book,  and  on  February  3d  the  committee  reported 
that  the  examination  had  been  made  and  that  "the  thanks  of 
the  Tribe  were  due  to  Brother  '  Red  Oak '  for  his  zeal,  dili- 
gence, and  general  correctness  in  transcribing  the  previous 
Minutes."  The  Minute  Book  here  referred  to  lies  before  us  as 
we  write,  the  Minutes  therein  recorded  slightly  faded  during 
the  years  that  have  passed,  but  as  plain  and  legible  as  when 
written  69  years  ago.  They  form  a  connecting  link  with  the 
past  of  inestimable  value,  and  give  information  concerning  the 
Society  of  Red  Men  not  to  be  obtained  elsewhere,  and  without 
which  the  preparation  of  this  period  of  the  History  of  the  Im- 
proved Order  of  Red  Men  would  have  been  impossible. 

Francis  Shallus,  as  already  stated,  was  succeeded  in  the 
position  of  Generalissimo,  by  George  Knorr,  who  had  been 
First  Captain-General  under  him,  and  whose  name  appears  on 
the  Minute  Book,  and  the  documents  of  the  Society,  as  Lap- 
popetung  or  "Black  Wampum."  Mr.  Knorr  was  a  baker  by 
trade,  whose  residence  and  place  of  business  at  the  time  he 
attained  the  rank  of  Generalissimo  was  on  Sixth  street  between 
Market  and  Arch.  His  election  took  place,  probably,  some  time 
between  November  30  and  December  12,  1821.  The  record 
of  his  election  must  have  been  in  the  Minutes  which  were  not 
recovered,  among  the  documents  in  the  possession  of  the  white 
men  as  above  referred  to. 

The  Minute  Book  at  this  period  indicates  the  prosperity  then 
attending  the  Society.  Not  only  was  a  council  held  regularly 
each  month,  but  special  and  adjourned  councils  were  frequently 
necessary  in  order  to  receive  applications  from  white  men  and 
arrange  for  their  initiation.  As  an  indication  of  the  growth  of 
the  Society,  and  the  manner  of  proposition  and  of  conferring  a 


2l6  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

new  name  upon  the  newly  admitted  Brother,  we  submit  the 
following  record  for  the  25th  of  the  fifth  Moon,  1822,  at  which 
time  we  find  this  entry :  "  The  following  white  men  were  pro- 
posed, and  after  going  through  the  usual  forms  were  accepted 
and  initiated,"  viz. :  — 

NAME.  NAME  RECEIVED.                          PROPOSED  BY 

John  Douglass,  Magistrate  .     .     .  Flinty  Warrior    .     .     .  Otter. 

Joseph  Keene Malt Hard  Bread. 

Samuel  Douglass War  Pole Otter. 

Michael  Kneas Big  Axe Great  Chief. 

William  Taylor Silver  Heels  ....  White  Wolf. 

William  Warwick War  Club Otter. 

Joseph  Crumback Black  Rock    ....  Otter. 

James  Vandergrift Black  Fox      ....  Bird  Tail  King. 

We  could  quote  innumerable  similar  instances  scattered 
through  the  Minute  Book,  which  would  virtually  require  a  re- 
production of  the  records ;  but  the  above  is  sufficient  to  indicate 
the  fact  that  only  the  new  name  given  a  Brother  was  used  to 
describe  him  after  his  admission,  and  that  when  a  white  man 
was  proposed  his  name  and  occupation  were  inserted  in  the 
record  together  with  the  name  of  the  Brother  proposing  him 
and  the  name  assigned  to  him  by  the  Society.  We  find  a  slip 
of  paper  among  the  documents  stating  that  at  a  certain  period, 
the  number  of  members  shown  upon  the  Minute  Book  was 
found  by  actual  count  to  be  584,  and  it  was  thought  that  these 
did  not  include  all.  This,  of  course,  had  reference  only  to  the 
home  Society  at  Philadelphia. 

It  is  proper  to  consider  the  charitable  work  of  the  organi- 
zation, and  abundant  evidence  of  this  is  given  in  the  Minute 
Book.  During  the  five  years  of  the  history  of  the  Society 
therein  recorded  in  detail,  frequent  applications  for  assistance 
from  needy  brothers  are  considered.  Sometimes  the  application 
is  made  by  the  individual  himself,  and  at  others  by  some  brother 
in  his  behalf.  It  may  be  well  to  refer  to  a  few  of  these  in- 
stances, as  an  evidence  of  the  work  done  by  the  Society,  and 
the  manner  in  which  action  was  taken  at  each  succeeding 
council. 

Under  date  of  July  i,  1823,  a  petition  was  received  from 
Brother  Abbitiby,  or  "  Frog,"  notifying  the  Tribe  that  he  was 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN.  21 J 

sick,  and  that  his  family  was  in  distress.  The  application  for 
relief  bore  the  indorsement  of  "  Little  Painter,"  vouching  for 
Brother  "  Frog "  as  an  industrious,  honest,  sober,  and  well 
behaved  gentleman.  This  was  further  subscribed  to  by 
"  A.  H.  R.,"  who  felt  himself  in  duty  bound  to  give  Brother 
"Frog"  the  character  of  an  honest  man.  By  this  it  will  be 
inferred  that  good  character  was  a  passport  to  favor  when  relief 
was  needed  or  requested  from  the  Society.  The  report  at  the 
next  meeting  showed  that  Brother  "Frog"  was  ill  and  had  a 
wife  and  two  children  to  maintain,  and  that  his  situation  re- 
quired immediate  aid.  An  amount  was  collected  from  the 
members  present  to  be  paid  to  him. 

The  case  above  cited  is  typical  of  many  similar  recorded  in 
the  Minute  Book.  The  plan  of  relief  seems  to  have  required 
that  application  should  be  made  to  the  Society  either  by  the 
brother  himself  or  by  some  other  brother  in  his  behalf.  This 
application  was  indorsed  by  one  or  more  brothers,  a  committee 
was  appointed  to  make  proper  investigation,  and  on  the  report 
of  the  committee  a  collection  for  the  relief  of  the  petitioner  was 
taken  up  among  the  members  present.  In  nearly  every  case 
recorded,  the  condition  of  the  applicant  seems  to  have  justified 
the  relief  given. 

Among  the  cases  thus  relieved  may  be  mentioned,  also,  that 
of  "  Blue  Hills,"  who  applied  for  aid,  stating  he  had  a  wife  and 
three  small  children  to  support,  and  that  he  had  lost  the  use  of 
his  arms.  The  committee  appointed  to  investigate  the  case 
found  that  it  was  deplorable  indeed.  He  had  not  been  able  to 
do  anything  towards  the  support  of  his  family  for  the  preceding 
five  months,  and  had  been  under  the  necessity  of  selling  his 
household  furniture  to  procure  bread  for  his  wife  and  children. 
When  the  committee  entered  his  room  it  found  him  lying  on 
an  old  rug  with  a  pillow  under  his  head.  His  arms  were  of 
little  or  no  service  to  him,  and  he  could  not  feed  himself.  A 
collection  was  at  once  taken  up,  and  the  afflicted  brother  re- 
lieved. 

Not  only  was  the  charity  conferred  upon  sick  and  disabled 
brothers,  but  the  watchful  care  of  the  organization  was  also 
extended  to  the  widows  and  orphans  of  those  who  had  crossed 
the  dark  river. 


218  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

As  early  as  November  19,  1822,  record  is  made  of  a  special 
council  fire  kindled  at  the  wigwam  of  Brother  "  Turtle  Shell " 
to  make  arrangements  for  attending  the  funeral  of  Brother 
Hassunimesut  or  "  Mulberry."  At  this  council  it  was  resolved 
to  attend  the  funeral  of  the  late  brother.  This  seems  to  in- 
dicate that  "  burying  the  dead  "  was  also  an  object  of  affiliation. 

On  Sunday  afternoon,  April  18,  1824,  about  seventy  of  the 
brethren  attended  the  funeral  of  Brother  Andastakas,  or 
"Badger,"  John  M.  Boddy,  in  accordance  with  the  request  of 
the  brother  made  prior  to  his  death.  On  the  return  of 
the  members  to  the  Wigwam  a  collection  was  taken  up  for  the 
assistance  of  the  late  brother's  widow  and  orphans.  On  the 
following  day  the  amount  was  presented  to  the  widow,  who 
returned  her  grateful  acknowledgments  for  it  to  the  Red 
Men's  Society.  Various  other  allusions  are  made  to  similar 
action  on  the  part  of  the  Society,  but  the  attendance  at  funerals 
was  evidently  purely  voluntary,  for,  on  December  13,  1825,  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  consider  the  propriety  of  establish- 
ing a  rule  requiring  attendance  of  members  at  the  funeral  of 
deceased  Red  Men. 

Under  date  of  January  6,  1826,  the  following  was  adopted  :  — 

"Resolved,  That  hereafter  all  monies  drawn  from  the  funds  of  the  Red 
Men's  Society,  or  that  shall  be  voluntarily  contributed  by  the  brethren  in- 
dividually, for  the  relief  of  distressed  brothers,  shall  be  paid  over  to  the 
applicant,  by  the  person  presenting  the  petition,  in  the  presence  of  the  Grand 
Recording  Scribe,  or  in  his  absence  the  Assisting  Scribe,  or  some  other 
brother,  whom  the  presiding-officer  may  appoint  for  that  purpose ;  and  that 
a  written  acknowledgment  (from  the  applicant)  for  the  money  paid  to  him. 
or  them,  shall  be  produced  at  the  first  meeting  after  payment  has  been 
made." 

January  10,  1826,  a  voluntary  subscription  was  taken  up  in 
aid  of  the  family  of  "  Calumet  Man,"  and  in  addition  thereto 
the  sum  of  ten  dollars  was  appropriated  from  the  funds  of  the 
Society  for  the  same  charitable  purpose.  In  accordance  with 
the  resolution  above  recorded,  a  receipt  was  subsequently  pre- 
sented from  the  widow,  for  the  donations  received  by  her  from 
the  Society  amounting  to  $15.38. 

We  have  referred  to  this  phase  of  the  organization  to  illustrate 
the  manner  adopted  by  the  Society  for  providing  relief.  It 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN. 


219 


must  be  remembered  by  those  familiar  with  the  systematic 
work  of  modern  beneficial  societies  that  at  the  time  of  which  we 
are  writing  these  societies  were  in  embryo.  The  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  was  organized  in  1819,  three  years  later 
than  the  reorganization  of  the  Society  of  Red  Men.  In  many 
characteristics  the  two  organizations  were  similar.  The  meet- 
ing places  were  the  large  rooms,  or  halls,  connected  with  the 
taverns  or  places  of  public  entertainment,  for  the  very  good 
reason  that  no  other  meeting  places  existed.  The  beneficial 
work  of  these  organizations  was  an  evolution  from  the  circum- 
stances that  called  them  into  existence. 

The  experience  of  the  early  days,  as  recorded  in  the  Minute 
Book  of  the  Society  of  Red  Men,  showed  the  necessity  of  a 
regular  system  for  mutual  relief,  as  otherwise  the  burden 
came  upon  the  generous  and  the  faithful.  The  faithful  were 
constant  in  their  attendance  at  the  councils  of  the  Society. 
Being  constant  in  their  attendance,  their  generosity  was  ap- 
pealed to  in  every  case  requiring  relief.  This  suggested  the 
adoption  of  regulations,  whereby  a  regular  contribution  should 
be  made  by  each  member,  to  provide  a  fund  from  which  assist- 
ance could  be  donated  as  required.  Voluntary  contributions 
continued,  but  there  was  always  provision  made  for  larger  dona- 
tions in  cases  of  extreme  need.  Thus  out  of  this  experience 
has  come  the  magnificent  financial  system  of  the  present  day, 
under  which,  it  may  with  truth  be  said,  that  "  we  visit  the  sick, 
relieve  the  distressed,  bury  the  dead,  and  educate  the  orphan." 

The  frailty  of  human  nature  does  not  lack  for  illustration 
even  in  a  beneficial  Society.  Doubtless  this  may  be  accounted 
for  by  the  fact  that  an  organization  banded  together  for  the 
highest  and  best  duties  that  can  engage  the  thought  of  men,  must 
still  depend  on  human  nature  for  the  material  by  which  it  is 
managed.  No  patent  process  has  yet  been  devised  by  which 
the  individual  man,  narrow  of  brain,  sordid  of  nature,  selfish  of 
impulse,  can  suddenly  be  transformed  into  a  model  of  generosity 
simply  by  being  admitted  into  a  fraternal  or  benevolent  institu- 
tion. The  most  that  can  be  hoped  for  is  to  attract  as  large  a 
proportion  as  possible  of  individuals,  in  whose  hearts  beat  the 
impulse  of  humanity  and  the  desire  to  benefit  mankind,  and  to 
give  to  each  other  mutual  relief  and  assistance ;  keeping  out,  as 


220  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

far  as  possible,  the  selfish  and  designing.  Thus  we  may  unite, 
for  a  common  purpose,  men  of  kindred  thought  and  sympathy, 
and  thereby  accomplish  by  united  effort  the  good  which  with 
individual  action  is  impossible. 

We  have  made  the  above  statement  to  explain  the  fact,  that 
through  the  Minute  Book  appears  frequent  record  of  the  disci- 
pline inflicted  upon  delinquent  brothers.  The  extreme  penalty 
was  inflicted  when  for  any  dereliction  a  Brother  was  "  toma- 
hawked." This  was  the  figurative  term  used  by  the  Society  for 
the  word  "  expelled,"  and  this  fact  should  be  borne  in  mind  by 
those  members  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  who  are 
prone  to  use  the  nomenclature  of  the  Order  in  a  slipshod  and 
meaningless  manner.  The  records  show  that  the  discipline  of 
the  Society  was  inflicted  on  men  of  high  rank  as  well  as  on  the 
more  humble  members.  Yet,  notwithstanding  the  necessity  for 
this  discipline,  the  Society  continued  to  increase  in  strength 
and  in  general  prosperity,  as  is  proved  by  the  constant  acces- 
sion of  new  members. 

It  is  necessary  at  this  time  to  consider  that  phase  of  the  or- 
ganization clearly  made  manifest  in  the  records  on  the  Minute 
Book,  and  indicative  of  the  elements  of  conviviality  which  seem 
to  have  been  inseparable  from  all  fraternal  organizations  of  that 
period.  This  convivial  element,  it  is  claimed,  finally  produced 
such  a  degeneration  in  the  Society  as  to  disgust  the  better  ele- 
ment, and  cause  the  reorganization  in  its  present  form,  and  the 
incorporation  of  the  word  "  Improved  "  in  its  title.  While  this 
may  all  be  true,  criticism  is  in  a  measure  disarmed  by  the  fact 
already  stated  that  conviviality  was  not  confined  to  the  Society 
of  Red  Men  alone,  and  by  the  further  notable  fact  that  the 
legitimate  benevolent  work  of  the  Society  was  never  interfered 
with  or  sacrificed  to  gratify  convivial  inclinations.  The  Minute 
Book  and  manuscript  records  show  that  during  the  period  of 
more  than  10  years  almost  every  Council  was  "adjourned  for 
social  purposes."  At  no  time,  however,  is  there  any  record  that 
refreshments  were  taken  into  the  wigwam  or  permitted  there 
while  the  council  fire  was  burning,  or  that  any  funds  of  the  or- 
ganization were  appropriated  for  that  purpose.  It  is  undoubt- 
edly true,  that  after  the  council  fire  was  quenched,  and  "  social 
purposes  "  were  indulged  in,  some  of  the  members  had,  what 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN.  221 

may  be  truthfully  designated,  "  a  halcyon  and  vociferous  time." 
There  were  bounds  beyond  which  the  members  could  not  pass 
in  their  hilarious  celebrations,  because  the  Minute  Book  records 
the  punishment  of  members  who  allowed  their  unfortunate 
appetites  to  get  the  better  of  their  reason,  and  were  guilty  of 
conduct  meriting  condemnation  and  punishment. 

As  has  already  been  remarked  the  .most  convenient  places  for 
holding  the  Councils  of  the  Society  were  public  taverns,  and 
many  members  were  keepers  of  these  places.  Naturally  the 
bar  attached  to  these  taverns  was  a  constant  source  of  tempta- 
tion to  the  brethren  assembled.  While  such  a  condition  of 
affairs  could  not  exist  in  1893,  it  must  be  remembered  that  it 
was  considered  entirely  proper  in  1823,  and  must  be  judged  by 
the  customs  and  opinions  of  that  time  rather  than  by  those  of 
the  present  day.  .  ' 

Among  the  documents  preserved  is  a  copy  of  a  notice,  issued 
early  in  1821,  calling  for  a  meeting  of  the  brethren  at  the  corner 
of  loth  and  Arch  Streets,  when  a  "  Free  and  Easy  will  com- 
mence." This  call  is  signed  Yeogheowanewago,  or  "  Split  Log," 
Generalissimo,  that  being  the  name  and  title  of  Francis  Shallus. 

Among  the  documents  are  copies  of  songs  written  for  use  at 
the  Red  Men's  "Free  and  Easy."  We  give  these  songs  as 
follows  :  — 

RED  MEN'S  SONG. 

TUNE  —  Tars  of  Columbia. 

Ye  Sons  of  Columbia  to  Freedom  Aspire. 

While  cheerful  we  sit  round  our  Grand  Council  Fire, 

Our  heroes  departed  shall  have  the  first  toast, 

And  next  our  loved  country  —  our  pride  and  our  boast. 

CHORUS.  —  For  her  cause  we'll  defend  until  our  lives  end, 
For  Red  Men  their  country  will  never  desert 
While  Fame  nerves  their  arm  or  blood  warms  their  heart. 

When  the  General  has  kindled  the  Fire  so  bright, 
His  commands  we'll  obey  with  joy  and  delight ; 
If  he  orders  our  Tribe  the  hatchet  to  wield, 
Our  war-song  we'll  sing,  and  repair  to  the  field. 

CHORUS.  —  To  combat  with  those  who  are  Liberty's  foes, 
For  Red  Men  are  always  fearless  and  bold, 
Be't  in  Midsummer's  heat  or  in  stern  Winter's  cold. 


222  IMPROVED   ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

No  party  dissensions  our  Councils  distract ; 
Each  Red  Man  is  free  to  think,  speak  and  act ; 
For  Freedom's  our  motto,  Toleration  our  aim  ; 
Friendship  our  watchword,  and  Red  Men  our  name. 

CHORUS.  —  Then  smoke  the  pipe  of  peace,  and  bid  all  discord  cease ; 
May  the  chain  of  the  Red  Men  never  lose  a  link, 
But  extend  and  increase  till  Creation  shall  sink. 

Now,  let  every  Red  Man,  a  bumper  in  hand, 
Around  our  Council  Fire  in  due  order  stand  — 
Fill  your  glasses,  my  boys,  drink  the  toast  I  will  give, 
Here's  to  all  faithful  Red  Men  and  long  may  they  live. 

CHORUS.  —  For  our  Council  Fire  never  will  expire, 

While  we  have  power  the  hatchet  to  raise, 
Or  breath  left  to  kindle  its  vestal-like  blaze. 

The  following  was  sung  to  the  tune  of 

SANDY  AND  JENNY. 

Hail  Red  Men  and  Brethren!  hail  this  happy  night, 
Here  assembled  in  Council  our  Wigwam  looks  bright : 
Your  Grand  Chief,  altho'  far  advanced  in  years, 
Before  you  again  on  his  duty  appears. 

His  Generals  on  each  side,  in  new  array  stand, 
Always  ready  and  willing  to  obey  or  command ; 
The  Warriors  at  their  station  in  martial  array, 
Are  ready  at  a  call  to  come  forth  and  obey. 

The  fears  of  a  White  Man,  to  test  and  to  try, 
To  their  station  the  Warriors  like  light'ning  do  fly ; 
Their  Tomahawk,  War-Club,  and  Long  Knife  display, 
Take  charge  of  the  stranger  and  lead  him  away. 

Now  as  Freedom's  our  motto,  toleration  our  aim, 
Friendship  our  watchword,  Red  Men  our  name, 
Let  sobriety,  good  order,  always  be  found  here, 
In  Freedom's  cause  fight,  as  Red  Men  without  fear. 

And  again  Brethren  Red  Men,  permit  me  to  say, 
When  you  enter  a  Wigwam  leave  discord  away ; 
For  no  party  dissensions  can  here  a  place  find, 
No  broils  nor  no  quarrels,  you'll  leave  those  behind. 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN.  223 

Now  as  Red  Men  united  in  sweet  Friendship's  band, 
If  a  poor  worthy  brother  who  in  need  of  it  stand, 
Asks  relief,  give  your  mite,  be  it  large  be  it  small, 
For  good  actions  like  those  Manitou  rewards  all. 

When  our  business  is  finish'd,  be  it  short  be  it  long, 
Let's  be  merry  together  and  sing  a  good  song, 
Drink  a  little  strong  water  our  strength  to  increase, 
Spend  the  evening  together  in  friendship  and  peace. 

Among  the  members  there  seem  to  have  been  some  who 
appreciated  a  practical  joke,  for  we  find  a  manuscript  song, 
endorsed  "  Obadiah  Porritt,  Plumber,  Reading,"  evidently  sung 
to  the  tune  of  "  Derry  Down,"  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy 
and  which  may  be  properly  entitled 

WHEAT   SHEAF'S   NARROW   ESCAPE. 

"Wheat  Sheaf"  is  a  baker,  oft  it  has  been  said, 
Around  this  fair  city  he  serves  out  his  bread ; 
Of  loaves  that  are  large,  and  loaves  that  are  small, 
And  cakes  nicely  sweetened,  he  can  please  you  all. 
Derry  Down. 

For  which  the  good  people,  with  little  delay, 
Call  on  Brother  "Wheat  Sheaf"  and  give  him  his  pay; 
One  day  being  merry,  as  I  have  been  told, 
He  had  all  his  pockets  well  filled  up  with  gold. 
Derry  Down. 

To  a  meeting  of  Red  Men  he  went  in  full  spunk, 
Where,  with  singing  and  drinking,  he  got  pretty  drunk ; 
Two  wily  young  Red  Men,  so  sly,  and  so  proud. 
While  he  lay  asleep,  slipped  him  into  a  shroud. 
Derry  Down. 

On  the  top  of  a  board  they  laid  him  full  tight, 
Then  went  to  the  surgeon  in  dead  of  the  night ; 
"  We  have  brought  you  a  baker,  just  fit  for  dissection  — 
A  plump  little  fellow,  he'll  suit  to  perfection.'' 
Derry  Down. 

The  doctor,  well  pleased,  said,  "  What  is  your  price  ?  " 
"  A  guinea  apiece,"  both  cried  in  a  trice  ; 
Then  quick  by  the  doctor  the  guineas  were  paid, 
And  in  a  dark  room  the  poor  baker  was  laid. 
Derry  Down. 


224  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED   MEN. 

After  locking  the  door,  he  went  to  bed  with  his  wife ;' 
"  To-morrow,"  said  he,  "  I  shall  use  my  long  knife." 
Thus  the  baker  and  doctor  both  peaceably  lay, 
Till  birds  by  their  melody  hailed  a  new  day. 
Derry  Down. 

The  baker  got  dry,  became  anxious  for  drink  ; 
He  tried  for  to  move,  but  he  hardly  could  think ; 
So  tight  was  he  bound,  from  his  feet  to  his  head, 
He  thought  for  awhile  that  he  surely  was  dead. 
Derry  Down. 

At  last  he  got  angry,  he  used  all  his  strength, 
And  bursting  the  cords,  he  was  loosened  at  length ; 
Looks  round  for  a  pitcher,  got  hold  of  a  skull 
He  tried  for  to  drink,  but  it  was  as  dry  as  a  hull. 
Derry  Down. 

He  fumbled  around,  but  naught  could  descry, 
Save  bones  of  all  sizes  lay  piled  up  so  high  ; 
Amid  these  sad  trials,  he  frightened  was,  sure, 
When  he  heard  the  doctor  approaching  the  door. 
Derry  Down. 

It  unlocked ;  was  opened,  and  who  should  be  there, 
The  doctor,  with  his  long  knife ;  he  sunk  in  despair ; 
But  recovering,  he  gave  him  a  pretty  hard  thump, 
To  the  foot  of  the  stairs  it  sent  the  doctor  quite  plump. 
Derry  Down. 

"  Wheat  Sheaf,"  rushed  to  the  street  with  lion-like  sway, 
He  knocked  over  all  that  obstructed  his  way ; 
He  never  again  got  so  drunk,  it  is  said  ; 
Nor  the  doctor  bought  a  baker  till  he  knew  he  was  dead. 
Derry  Down. 

The  following  is  added  as  an  example  of  the 

RED   MEN'S   PARTING   SONG. 

As  Red  Men,  oft  together  again  may  we  meet, 
In  Friendship  united,  with  discord  at  our  feet, 
No  party  dissensions,  nor  broils  of  any  kind 
Shall  enter  our  wigwam,  we  will  leave  them  behind. 

CHORUS For  Freedom's  our  motto.  Toleration  our  aim, 

Friendship's  our  watchword,  Red  Men  our  name ; 
If  danger  should  threaten,  together  we'll  fly, 
As  Red  Men,  we'll  conquer  without  fear,  or  die. 


SOCIETY  OF  RED   MEN.  225 

Our  wigwam's  in  good  order ;  our  Council  fire  bright, 
To  brighten  Friendship's  sweet  chain,  we've  assembled  to-night ; 
Then  may  this  bright  chain  of  Friendship  ne'er  lose  a  link, 
But  extend  and  increase  'till  creation  shall  sink. 

CHORUS.  —  For  Freedom's  our  motto,  etc. 

When  the  General  commands,  with  pride  Red  Men  obey ; 

But  a  tyrant  over  Red  Men  shall  never  hold  sway ; 

As  Red  Men  independent  we  together  will  fight, 

With  our  Tomahawk,  our  War  Club,  and  our  Scalping-knife  bright. 

CHORUS.  —  For  Freedom's  our  motto,  etc. 

In  Brother 's  wigwam  how  pleasantly  we  sit, 

We  drink  and  we  sing,  and  talk  while  the  moments  by  flit : 

Our  landlord's  kind  and  good,  his  wish  is  all  to  please  — 

He  keeps  good  gin  and  brandy,  he  keeps  good  bread  and  cheese. 

CHORUS.  —  Then,  Red  Men  united,  enjoy  life  while  you  can, 
Old  age  is  coming  on,  and  life's  but  a  span ; 
Then  fill  your  cans  and  glasses,  a  toast  now  I'll  give, 
"  Success  to  Red  Men's  squaws,  and  happy  may  they  live." 

And  when  our  part  here  we  have  acted  in  love, 
And  we  shall  be  called  to  the  wigwam  above, 
May  the  Great  Spirit  guide  us  to  that  happy  land, 
Where,  as  brothers  united,  we'll  join  in  one  band. 

CHORUS.  —  For  Freedom's  our  motto,  etc. 

And  if  in  life's  journey  a  Red  Man  you  shall  find 

In  sore  distress,  then  to  him  be  good  and  kind ; 

And  if  'tis  in  your  power  to  assuage  his  grief, 

Stretch  forth  the  hand  of  Friendship  and  give  him  relief. 

CHORUS.  —  For  Freedom's  our  motto,  etc. 

For  in  Friendship  united,  Red  Men  will  stand, 
In  Friendship  as  brothers,  joined  hand  in  hand ; 
And  if  in  life's  journey  a  Red  Man  you  shall  find 
In  distress,  we  again  say,  be  to  him  good  and  kind. 

CHORUS.  —  For  Freedom's  our  motto,  etc. 

Of  course  these  songs  abound  in  allusions  to  the  prominent 
idea  of  all  social  gatherings  at  that  time,  wherein  the  wine  cup 
held  full  sway.  It  is  no  reproach  upon  the  organization  to 
record  historical  facts.  While  we  are  not  called  upon  to  defend 
anything  that  is  wrong,  we  feel  it  may  with  truth  be  said,  that 


226  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

the  convivial  element  of  the  Society  of  Red  Men  at  the  period 
at  which  we  write  was  no  more  pronounced  and  had  no  more 
control  upon  the  patriotic,  fraternal,  and  benevolent  work  of  the 
organization  than  have  similar  practices  existing  at  the  present 
time  at  social  gatherings  of  institutions,  the  proudest  in  our 
land,  and  in  whose  membership  the  best  and  highest  of  our 
citizens  are  proud  to  claim  affiliation.  Let  it  always  be  remem- 
bered that,  however  enticing  the  "  Free  and  Easy  "  was  to  the 
brothers  after  the  council  fire  had  been  quenched,  the  work 
of  the  organization  was  faithfully  performed,  and  all  duties 
of  fraternity  and  benevolence  properly  attended  to  before  the 
"Free  and  Easy"  opened,  and  the  conviviality  and  the  worship 
of  Bacchus  began. 

There  is  one  other  fact,  not  only  proper  to  mention  in  con- 
nection with  the  Society  of  Red  Men,  but  absolutely  necessary, 
in  order  that  proper  credit  may  be  given.  The  Tammany  Socie- 
ties, as  we  have  said,  degenerated  into  political  organizations. 
So  far  as  the  records  of  the  Society  of  Red  Men  give  evidence, 
but  one  attempt  was  made  to  use  that  organization  as  a  political 
machine.  As  this  was  the  first  and  only  attempt,  and  as  it  evi- 
dently came  to  a  disastrous  conclusion,  it  is  proper  to  give  the 
facts  concerning  it.  They  are  these  :  At  a  council  held  on  the 
26th  of  the  sixth  moon,  1822,  John  Douglass,  Magistrate,  was 
proposed  for  membership  and  initiated,  receiving  the  name  of 
Okamkan,  or  "  Flinty  Warrior."  This  name  had  been  held  pre- 
viously by  Lieutenant  John  McKinney,  deceased,  and  was  now 
transferred  to  Mr.  Douglass,  proving  what  we  have  elsewhere 
claimed  that  a  name  given  to  one  brother  was  sometimes  con- 
ferred afterward  upon  another  when  the  brother  to  whom  it  was 
first  given  had  died  or  had  been  expelled  from  the  Society.  At 
the  time  of  his  admission  Mr.  Douglass  was  a  candidate  for 
sheriff  for  Philadelphia  County,  and  undoubtedly  thought  that 
admission  to  the  Society  of  Red  Men  would  assist  his  chances 
of  election  by  bringing  to  his  support  the  influence  of  that 
organization.  At  a  slimly  attended  meeting  of  the  Society  a 
committee  was  chosen  to  advance  the  interests  of  Brother 
"Flinty  Warrior."  When  the  movement  became  thoroughly 
understood,  a  feeling  of  determined  opposition  was  manifested. 
The  previous  action  was  reconsidered  and  then  indefinitely 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN. 

postponed.  Thus  ended  the  first  and  only  attempt,  as  far  as 
the  documents  show,  to  use  the  Society  of  Red  Men  to  advance 
the  political  fortunes  of  any  of  its  members.  It  may  also  be 
remarked  that  the  name  of  "  Flinty  Warrior  "  does  not  again 
appear  on  the  minutes  or  papers  of  the  Society  of  Red  Men. 
In  connection  with  this  incident  it  improper  to  quote  here  from 
the  original  manuscript  a  longtalk  given  by  "  Great  Light  of 
the  Council  Fire,"  which  has  direct  allusion  to  this  attempt  to 
subvert  the  Society  to  partisan  ends,  and  which  contains  sound 
advice  that  may  well  be  heeded  in  our  present  organization.  It 
is  as  follows,  with  italics  and  capitalization  as  in  the  original :  — 

"  To  The  Red  Men  of  Pennsylvania : 

"  Brothers.  When  a  white  man  is  adopted  in  our  tribe,  whatever  be  his 
years,  he  is  a  young  man,  and  we  cannot  immediately  recognize  him  as  a 
Sachem.  He  must  primarily  declare  himself  '  void  of  fear."1  This  fear 
alludes  only  to  the  body,  for  every  Red  Man  must  stand  in  fear  of  offending 
the  Great  Manitou  by  ill  deeds,  —  and  it  is  given  as  a  warning  to  the  warrior, 
to  be  brave  in  battle,  but  to  do  nothing  which  will  offend  the  Great  Spirit. 

"  Red  Men.  We  have  assembled  in  General  Council  around  a  Fire  of  Peace. 
Let  us  smoke  the  Calumet,  bury  the  Tomahawk,  and  have  our  talks.  Let  all 
who  have  aught  to  say  be  quickly  heard.  Red  Men  in  council  are  always 
attentive  to  those  who  speak.  They  deliberately  weigh  and  maturely  reply. 
It  is  said  that  a  white  man  of  fair  character,  and  who  is  said  to  have  been  a 
good  warrior  in  white  metis  wars,  asks  for  your  support,  and  wishes  to  be 
adopted  by  our  triba.  Let  him  be  adopted.  But  Red  Men  will  let  the  tree 
bud  and  blossom  before  they  decide  on  the  fruit.  They  will  let  the  spring 
be  planted  before  they  become  its  supporters.  Before  the  ground  is  tilled 
they  will  expect  no  increase. 

"Brothers.  When  a  White  Man  visits  your  Wigwam  smoke  with  him  the 
Calumet  of  Peace.  But  let  him  not  lead  your  tribe,  or  nations,  until  you 
know  him  well. 

"  This  Talk,  Brothers,  is  not  meant  to  throw  a  tree  in  the  way  of  any 
Traveller.  Let  them  all  journey  on.  But  let  us  not  afford  assistance  to  one 
stranger  and  deny  it  to  another." 

Various  anniversaries  were  celebrated  by  the  Society  of  Red 
Men,  the  first  of  which  mention  is  made  being  the  birthday  of 
Lieutenant  Alexander  John  Williams,  of  the  2ist  Regiment  of 
the  United  States  Artillery  when  at  Fort  Mifflin,  and  who  was 
subsequently  promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain  and  assigned  to 
duty  at  Fort  Erie,  where  he  was  killed  on  the  I4th  of  August, 
1814,  in  the  glorious  and  successful  defence  of  that  fortification. 


228  IMPROVED   ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

He  was  not  quite  24  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  death,  but 
had  lived  long  enough  to  prove  himself  a  hero,  and  to  merit  and 
receive  the  plaudits  of  his  fellow-citizens.  The  claim  is  not 
made  that  he  was  a  member  of  the  Society  organized  at  Fort 
Mifflin,  but  that  his  birthday  was  celebrated  by  the  Society 
which  would  indicate  that  such  was  the  fact. 

We  have  already  referred  to  Captain  James  N.  Barker,  who 
was  in  command  at  Fort  Mifflin  in  1813,  and  to  the  fact  that  he 
was  the  son  of  General  John  Barker,  who  had  been  a  prominent 
member  of  the  Sons  of  St.  Tammany.  Captain  Barker  became 
mayor  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia  in  1819.  The  testimony  of 
Richard  Marley,  Past  Great  Incohonee,  while  living,  is  quoted 
as  proof  of  the  claim  that  Mayor  Barker  was  a  member  of  the 
Society  of  Red  Men. 

The  birthday  of  Washington  was  frequently  celebrated  by  the 
Society,  and  as  early  as  the  i/th  of  the  I2th  moon,  1822,  there 
is  record  of  the  appointment  of  a  committee  to  take  in  charge 
the  proper  observance  of  February  22,  1823.  The  records  of 
subsequent  councils  show  the  action  taken  in  the  time  interven- 
ing between  that  date  and  1824,  when  again  the  anniversary 
was  appropriately  observed. 

On  the  23d  of  the  second  moon,  1824,  a  "Grand  Monthly 
Council  Fire  "  was  lit  at  the  wigwam  of  Brother  "  Free  and 
Easy,"  for  the  purpose  of  doing  honor  to  the  memory  of  Wash- 
ington. Generalissimo  Lappopetung,  or  "  Black  Wampum," 
George  Knorr,  presided.  Brother  Shekoghell  of  Specra,  or 
"  Big  Turtle,"  Daniel  E.  Scott,  delivered  a  longtalk  suitable  to 
the  occasion.  After  this  the  brethren  adjourned  for  supper. 
The  members  were  evidently  pleased  with  the  success  of  the 
celebration,  as  upon  pages  149,  150,  and  151  of  the  Minute 
Book  is  an  extended  account  thereof,  with  expressions  of 
thanks  to  the  committee  having  the  matter  in  charge,  and 
recommendations  for  the  publication  of  the  longtalk  of  Brother 
"  Big  Turtle." 

A  similar  observance  of  Washington's  Birthday  was  held  in 
1825,  when  was  delivered  the  longtalk  of  Puyumannawaton,  or 
"Great  Light  of  the  Council  Fire,"  from  which  we  have  quoted 
the  allusion  to  Fort  Mifflin  as  the  place  where  the  Society  of 
Red  Men  was  organized. 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN.  229 

In  connection  with  these  observances  of  Washington's  Birth- 
day, may  be  given  the  following  song,  the  authorship  of  which 
is  attributed  to  the  James  N.  Barker,  already  alluded  to  in  this 
chapter : — 

"  When  Freedom  on  the  battle  storm 

Her  weary  head  reclined, 
When  round  her  fair,  majestic  form 

The  serpent  slavery  twined  ; 
Amid  the  din,  beneath  the  cloud, 

Great  Washington  appeared ; 
His  daring  hand  rolled  back  the  shroud, 

And  thus  the  suff  'rer  cheered  : 

"  '  Burst,  burst  thy  chains!  be  great!  be  free! 

In  giant  strength  arise! 
Stretch,  stretch  thy  pinions,  Liberty, 

Thy  flag  nail  to  the  skies. 
Clothe,  clothe  thyself  in  glory's  robe! 

Let  stars  thy  banner  gem  ; 
Rule,  rule  the  sea!  —  possess  the  globe!  — 

Wear  victory's  diadem. 

"  '  Tell,  tell  the  world  a  world  is  born, 

Another  orb  gives  light, 
Another  sun  illumines  the  morn, 

Another  star  the  night ; 
Be  just,  be  brave,  and  let  thy  name, 

Henceforth,  Columbia  be ; 
Wear,  wear  the  fadeless  wreath  of  fame, 

The  wreath  of  liberty ! ' 

"  He  said,  and  lo!  the  stars  of  night 

Forth  to  the  banner  flew ; 
And  morn,  with  pencil  dipped  in  light, 

Its  blushes  on  it  drew. 
Columbia's  chieftain  grasped  the  flag, 

The  standard  sheet  unfurl'd, 
Flew  with  it  to  his  native  skies, 

And  waved  it  o'er  the  world." 

There  does  not  appear  in  the  records  in  our  possession  any 
legislation  by  which  the  celebration  of  St.  Tammany  Day,  the 
1 2th  of  May,  as  a  holiday  or  anniversary  of  the  Society  was  re- 
quired in  the  Constitution  or  Laws.  But  all  through  the  records 
in  the  Minute  Book,  in  every  year  from  1823  down  to  1827  in- 


230  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

elusive,  votes  are  recorded  providing  for  a  proper  observance  of 
this  day.  When  the  various  societies  of  St.  Tammany,  which 
existed  from  177-  down  to  1822  in  Philadelphia,  became  broken 
and  disorganized,  it  is  quite  certain  that  the  membership  be- 
came absorbed  in  the  Society  of  Red  Men.  There  is  positive 
evidence  to  show  that  men  were  members  of  both  Societies  at 
the  same  time  in  1818,  and  inasmuch  as  the  St.  Tammany 
Societies  observed  the  birthday  of  their  patron  saint  with  great 
pomp  and  ceremony,  nothing  was  more  natural  than  that  the 
custom  should  have  been  engrafted  upon  the  regulations  of  the 
Society  of  Red  Men.  We  will  present  extracts  from  the  Minute 
Book  showing  the  action  taken  for  a  proper  observance  of  St. 
Tammany's  Day. 

On  page  72  of  the  Minute  Book,  under  date  of  April  29,  1823, 
record  is  made  of  the  appointment  of  a  committee  "  to  receive 
subscribers'  names,  of  our  different  brethren,  that  will  be  in- 
clined to  take  dinner,  etc.,  on  the  I2th  of  May  next,"  and  the 
committee  appointed  in  accordance  with  this  vote,  consisted  of 
"Snow  Clad  Mountain,"  "Big  Turtle,"  "Bull's  Horns,"  "Hick- 
ory Sapling,"  and  "White  Cat  Fish,"  with  full  powers  to  fill  all 
vacancies.  This  committee  reported  progress  on  the  6th  of  May 
and  further  at  the  council  of  May  8.  The  grounds  of  Judge 
Peters  at  Mantua  Village  were  secured,  and  the  dinner  was  fur- 
nished by  Brother  "  Hospitality,"  William  Muirhead,  at  a  cost 
of  fifty  cents  each.  Brother  "  Big  Turtle,"  delivered  a  longtalk 
previous  to  the  dinner. 

Again,  at  the  Monthly  Grand  Council  held  on  April  6,  1824, 
a  committee  of  five  was  appointed  "  to  take  order  on  the  pro- 
posed dinner  for  Red  Men  on  St.  Tammany's  Day.  Brothers 
'Big  Turtle,'  'Red  Oak,'  'Live  Oak/  'Cedar  Bush,'  and  'Pep- 
permint '  were  appointed  with  full  power  to  fill  all  vacancies  if 
any  should  occur."  This  committee  subsequently  reported  on 
April  20,  that  "they  could  not  find  a  more  suitable  and  con- 
venient place  than  the  one  they  used  the  last  anniversary  of  St. 
Tammany  ;  they  therefore  recommend  the  same  place  for  the 
present  contemplated  festival,  and  that  the  dinner  be  provided, 
by  some  brother,  similar  to  the  former."  The  committee  was 
discharged  and  another  appointed  consisting  of  Brothers  "  Red 
Oak,"  "Peppermint,"  "Live  Oak,"  "Son  of  Vulcan,"  and  "Red 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN.  211 

\J 

Belt"  "for  the  purpose  of  inquiring  what  brothers  will  propose 
and  make  order  the  dinner  on  said  day  and  on  what  terms  they 
will  furnish  the  same."  It  was  unanimously  agreed  that  the 
dinner  take  place  at  Mantua  Village,  as  was  done  at  the  last  fes- 
tival of  St.  Tammany  in  1823.  At  tjie  council  held  April  23,  the 
committee  was  directed  to  examine  a  place  at  Kane's  (Kaighn's) 
Point,  and  report  at  the  next  council  whether  the  same  was 
preferable  to  Mantua  Village,  and  also  to  report  on  what  terms 
the  dinner  could  be  obtained  per  man.  The  committee  accord- 
ingly reported  on  April  27,  "  that  Brother  Hospitality  offers  to 
furnish  a  dinner  at  Mantua  Village  at  the  rate  of  75  cents  per 
man  and  each  to  pay  for  his  drink  separately."  Brother  Hick- 
ory Sapling  declined  to  bid  for  the  dinner,  as  he  was  unable  to 
furnish  it  on  that  day.  The  committee  also  reported  that  strict 
search  had  been  made  on  the  Jersey  shore  agreeably  to  the 
request  made  by  the  Council  April  23.  As  the  result  of  its 
investigation  it  made  report  as  follows  :  — 

"  At  Kane's  point,  a  tavern  keeper  (a  white  man)  offer'd  to  furnish  a 
dinner  in  the  woods,  at  the  back  of  his  house,  at  50  cents  per  man,  and  if 
it  should  rain,  he  then  would  entertain  them  in  his  house,  and  every  man 
pay  for  whatever  liquor  he  may  think  proper  to  call  for. 

"  They  then  viewed  a  place  at  Newtown  Creek,  which  place  the  Red  Men  can 
obtain  permission  to  use,  on  said  day,  with  the  use  of  a  kitchen  and  a  spring 
house,  free  of  expense. 

"  At  this  place  we  shall  have  to  provide  ourselves,  in  every  respect,  with  all 
necessaries,  provisions,  liquors,  etc.  An  estimate  of  which,  and  the  supposed 
amount  thereof,  is  also  laid  before  the  present  Council,  for  their  determina- 
tion. 

"Your  Committee  after  much  fatigue,  etc.,  are  happy  that  they  are  able  to 
make  the  foregoing  report,  and  now  beg,  that  they  may  be  discharged." 

The  committee  was  discharged  as  requested,  and  it  was  voted 
to  reconsider  the  action  about  taking  dinner  in  the  woods  at 
Mantua  Village,  and  a  committee  of  five  was  appointed  to  make 
inquiry  if  any  other  brother  would  undertake  to  furnish  a  din- 
ner "and  to  make  report  at  the  next  council."  This  committee 
consisted  of  Brothers  "  Big  Turtle,"  "  Weaver  of  Shoes,"  "  Pep- 
permint," "Cassia  Sprig,"  and  "Wooden  Foot."  At  the  next 
council  of  April  30  the  committee  again  reported  as  follows :  — 

"They  had  enquired  of  many  Red  Men  (Tavern  keepers),  but  that 
Brother  '  Hospitality '  was  the  only  person  who  would  furnish  a  dinner  on 


232  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

St.  Tammanie's  day,  and  be  likely  to  give  general  satisfaction;  his  proposal 
was  75  cents  per  man,  and  each  to  pay  for  his  own  drink. 

'*  Committee  further  reported,  that  they  had  maturely  considered  existing 
circumstances  and  that,  after  having  conference  with  many  of  the  brethren, 
did  find  the  current  opposition  running  against  dining  at  Mantua  Ville,  for 
various  reasons  that  had  been  suggested  to  the  Society,  therefore,  they  do 
recommend  the  reconsideration  of  the  report  which  was  made  by  the  Com- 
mittee, who  examined  the  place,  at  Newtown  Creek.  Your  Committee  further 
recommend  the  reorganization  of  that  Committee,  and  that  your  present 
Committee  will  render  them  every  assistance  in  their  power,  if  necessary." 

The  recommendation  was  carried  out  and  the  two  committees 
were  consolidated  and  it  was  voted  to  take  dinner  at  Newton 
(Newtown)  Creek. 

"  The  two  Committees  being  now  joined  as  one,  they  are  hereby  requested, 
and  enjoined,  to  do  all  that  may  be  in  their  power,  to  obtain  subscribers,  to 
appoint  caterers,  regulate,  obtain,  do  and  direct  all  that  they  can  devise ; 
for  the  general  good,  the  comfort,  harmony,  ease  and  enjoyment  of  all  the 
brethren  that  may  think  proper  to  join  in  the  celebration  of  the  day  of  the 
birth  of  our  Titular  Saint." 

On  May  4  the  committee  reported  "  that  they  had  engaged  a 
'  Team  Boat,'  to  convey  our  brethren  to  Newtown  Creek  on  the 
1 2th  of  the  fifth  moon,  and  to  return  back  again  to  Philadelphia, 
for  the  sum  of  five  dollars.  That  they  recommend  to  the  coun- 
cil that  our  brethren  do  meet  on  the  said  I2th  day  at  eight 
o'clock,  A.M.,  and  to  start  positively  at  the  hour  of  nine 
o'clock.  They  also  recommend  that  notices  be  published  at 
various  taverns  which  are  kept  by  our  brethren  for  the  purpose 
of  making  known  to  Red  Men  what  time  and  at  what  place  they 
are  to  meet  on  the  said  I2th  instant."  The  recommendations 
of  the  committee  were  adopted  and  the  committee  given  power 
to  carry  out  the  wishes  of  the  Society.  On  page  186  of  the 
Minute  Book  appears  the  following  record  :  — 

"Agreeably  to  General  Orders,  the  brethren  met  at  the  Wigwam  of 
Brother  '  Hospitality,'  between  the  hours  of  8  and  9  o'clock,  A.M.,  on  the 
1 2th  of  the  5th  moon,  1824;  from  thence  they  proceeded  on  board  of  a  Team 
boat,  which  was  employed  for  the  purpose  of  conveying  such  of  our  brethren 
to  Gloucester  point  as  thought  proper  to  celebrate  (at  Newtown  Creek),  the 
festival  of  Tammany  (our  Tutilar  Saint) .  After  landing  at  Gloucester  point, 
the  brethren  marched  in  single  file,  under  command  of  the  Generalissimo, 
through  the  Forest,  until  they  arrived  at  the  appointed  spot ;  and  after  the 
brethren  had  received  refreshment,  a  council  fire  was  lit ;  the  following  white 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN.  233 

man  was  proposed,  and  after  going  through  the  usual  and  necessary  forms, 
he  was  initiated :  Joseph  Wigmore,  occupation.  Silver  Smith,  proposed  by 
Br.  '  Weaver  of  Shoes,'  name  received  '  Green  Walnut  Tree.1  After  which, 
the  Council  adjourned  to  social  purposes,  and  a  little  before  6  o'clock,  P.M., 
the  brethren  proceeded  and  went  on  board  the  Team  boat,  and  landed  at 
about  9  o'clock  in  Philadelphia."  \ 

We  have  given  the  legislation  leading  up  to  the  celebration 
on  this  occasion  considerably  in  detail  so  that  our  readers  may 
understand  the  importance  which  was  attached  not  only  to  the 
anniversary  itself,  but  to  the  proper  arrangements  to  be  made 
for  a  celebration  of  the  event  that  should  be  pleasing  to  the 
members  of  the  society. 

On  page  259  of  the  Minute  Book,  under  date  of  April  4,  1825, 
record  is  made  of  the  appointment  of  the  usual  committee  "to 
select  a  convenient  place ^ for  the  Red  Men  to  celebrate  the 
anniversary  of  St.  Tammany,"  as  follows  :  "  Brothers  '  Red 
Oak,'  'Brown  Stout,'  'White  Cat  Fish,'  'Wild  Turkey/  and 
'Peppermint.''  At  the  next  council  held  April  15,  the  com- 
mittee reported,  and  it  was  voted  "  that  the  Red  Men  celebrate 
St.  Tammany's  Day  at  the  wigwam  of  Brother  Pine  Grove,  and 
agreeably  to  his  offer  take  a  repast  at  twenty-five  cents  per  man 
for  their  eating."  At  the  next  council  held  April  19,  a  com- 
mittee was  appointed  "to  receive  subscribers  for  the  celebration 
of  St.  Tammany's  Day."  The  committee  consisted  of  Brothers 
"Red  Oak,"  "Wheat  Sheaf,"  "Peppermint,"  "Chief  of  the 
Northern  Tribe,"  and  "Strawberry  Bush."  ("Chief  of  the 
Northern  Tribe  "  was  General  Thomas  Snyder.)  At  the  next 
council,  April  26,  it  was  formally  voted  "  that  the  Red  Men  take 
dinner  at  Brother  '  Pine  Grove's '  on  the  I2th  day  of  May,  that 
being  the  anniversary  of  St.  Tammany ;  at  the  charge  of  fifty 
cents  each  for  his  dinner."  Subsequently  arrangements  were 
made  for  the  brethren  to  assemble  at  the  house  of  Brother 
"  Hickory  Sapling "  at  one  o'clock,  and  proceed  thence  to 
Brother  "Pine  Grove's,"  "and  every  brother  to  wear  his  badge." 
Arrangements  were  made  also  for  a  publication  of  General 
Orders  to  call  the  brethren  to  assemble  on  St.  Tammany's  Day. 
The  General  Orders  were  usually  printed  on  sheets  of  conven- 
ient size  for  posting  in  houses  of  entertainment  and  other  pub- 
lic places.  Among  the  old  documents  are  several  of  these. 


HEAD  Q  UAR  TEH  S. 


GENERAL  ORDERS! 


Attention 
Red  Men. 

YOU  will  assemble  in  Grand  Council  Fire,  at  the  Wigwam  of  Brother 
HICKORY  SAPLLVG,  (Sign  of  General  Jackson)  Race  near  Eighth  street, 
on  THURSDAY  next,  the  12th  instant,  at  12  o'clock,  noon,  in  due  order,  with 
the  full  Insignia  of  your  Tribe,-  and  Badge  of  you/  Rank,  full)-  prepared  to  take 
up  (he  line  of  march  to  Celebrate  the 

Anniversary  of  Tammany, 

the  Tutelar  Saint  of  Red  Men- 

(3*  A  Repast  and  other  Entertainments  will  be  provided  by  Brother  PTNK 
GROVE,  at  his  Wigwam,  Harmony  Hull  Hotel,  Bush-Hill,  suitable  for  theoeea- 
lion.  Tickets  can  be  had  of  the  Committee  of  Ai  range  ment.  aud  at  Pine  Grove's 
Wigwam. 

N.  B.  The  Generals  are  requested  to  report  themselves  on  that  da v,  as  ia  case 
of  neglect  they  will  be  aflperceded  by  new  appointments. 

BY  ORDER, 

Lappopetung,  or 
BLACK  WAMPUM; 

GENERALISSIMO, 

fFtverwtuti;  or  Red  Oak,  • 

2d  Lieut.  Gen.  Grand  Recording  Scribe,  R.  M.  P. 

Fifth  Mooa,  9th,  182*.  Bu&Frog,  Pr. 

234 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN.  235 

A  copy  of  the  sheet,  on  which  were  printed  the  General  Orders 
above  referred  to,  is  before  us  as  we  write,  and  on  the  opposite 
page  is  a  reproduction  of  this  identical  notice  for  the  celebration 
of  May  12,  1825. 

For  some  reason  there  appears  to  b^e  no  record  of  the  observ- 
ance of  St.  Tammany's  Day  in  the  year  1826.  But  at  the  coun- 
cil held  April  3,  1827,  "  King  of  the  Western  Tribe,"  "Meridian 
Sun,"  "Black  Wampum,"  "Tombstone's  Brother,"  and  "Son 
of  Vulcan"  were  appointed  a  committee  "to  consider  and  report 
a  plan  for  the  celebration  of  St.  Tammany's  Day."  This  com- 
mittee reported  at  the  next  council,  April  6,  "no  progress,  and 
beg  to  be  discharged,"  which  was  agreed  to.  On  page  407  of 
the  Minute  Book  it  is  recorded  that  a  subscription  list  was 
opened  to  receive  such  names  of  members  as  wished  to  dine  on 
St.  Tammany's  Day.  On  May  n  a  resolution  was  adopted 
"  that  such  brethren  as  will  make  it  convenient  to  celebrate  Str 
Tammany's  Day  will  dine  at  Brother  'Hospitality's.'"  On  page 
412  of  the  Minute  Book  it  is  recorded  that  "the  Generalissimo 
presided  on  the  I2th  of  the  5th  moon,  1827,  (being  St.  Tam- 
many's Day)  at  the  wigwam  of  Brother  '  Hospitality,'  where  a 
handsome  dinner  was  provided  which  gave  general  satisfaction 
to  the  brethren  that  were  present,  and  for  his  attention,  etc., 
in  providing  the  same,  Brother  '  Hospitality '  received  the  unani- 
mous thanks  of  the  meeting." 

Inasmuch  as  the  Minute  Book  contains  no  records  of  a  later 
date  than  May  15,  1827,  it  is  impossible  to  give  any  further 
account  of  subsequent  celebrations  of  St.  Tammany's  Day,  and 
the  scattered  fragments  of  the  minutes  preserved  outside  the 
Minute  Book  do  not  cover  the  months  of  April  and  May,  and 
therefore  give  no  information  on  the  subject. 

Our  readers  are  familiar  with  the  fact  of  the  visit  to  the 
United  States,  in  1824,  of  General  Lafayette,  and  it  is  interest- 
ing to  here  record  the  action  taken  by  the  Society  of  Red  Men 
to  assist  in  rendering  proper  honor  to  the  distinguished  guest 
of  the  nation.  For  this  purpose  General  Orders  were  issued 
and  posted  in  public  places  inviting  the  members  to  attend  a 
council  to  be  held  on  August  24,  1824,  to  make  arrangements 
for  joining  in  the  procession  in  honor  of  General  Lafayette. 

About  this  same  time  the  records  mention  the  organization 


236  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

of  a  rifle  company  to  be  composed  entirely  of  Red  Men,  and  on 
the  Minute  Book,  page  190,  under  date  of  May  25,  1824,  it  is 
recorded  that  "a  committee  was  appointed  to  take  into  consid- 
eration, etc.,  the  forming  of  a  Rifle  Company  of  Red  Men,  to 
report  thereon  at  our  next  council  fire,"  and  the  committee 
appointed  for  this  purpose  consisted  of  the  Generalissimo  and 
Brothers  "Lookout,"  "Peppermint,"  "Hickory  Sapling,"  "Straw- 
berry Bush,"  "Hospitality,"  "Hot  Iron,"  and  "Red  Buck." 
This  committee  reported  at  the  subsequent  council  held  May  29, 
and  the  report  was  received  and  laid  over  until  the  Grand 
Monthly  Council  which  was  held  June  I,  1824.  On  this  date, 
page  192  of  the  Minute  Book,  it  is  stated  that  "the  committee 
that  was  appointed  to  receive  subscribers  for  the  raising  a  Rifle 
Corps  of  Red  Men  made  a  communication  to  the  council  which 
was  read  and  approved.  Committee  desired  permission  to  add 
five  or  six  to  the  present  committee  (if  they  should  find  the 
same  necessary).  Their  desire  was  unanimously  granted,  with 
a  request  that  the  committee  should  exert  themselves  in  collect- 
ing subscribers,  so  that  the  Corps  may  be  formed  as  speedy  as 
possible."  At  subsequent  councils  shown  on  page  197  of  the 
Minute  Book,  the  committee  reported  that  they  had  advertised 
"that  they  would  meet,  etc.,  at  certain  wigwams  three  times 
each  week  to  receive  subscribers,"  and  "that  they  had  36  mem- 
bers on  their  list." 

The  Minute  Book  does  not  give  much  further  information  in 
relation  to  the  Red  Men's  Rifle  Corps.  Fragmentary  docu- 
ments indicate  that  the  Corps  was  known  to  the  outside  world 
as  the  "Morgan  Rifle  Rangers."  The  names  of  the  officers 
were  George  Knorr,  "Black  Wampum,"  Captain;  Richard 
Loudenslager,  "Old  Warrior,"  Lieutenant;  William  Leitmann, 
"Peppermint,"  First  Sergeant;  Jacob  Wolf,  "Sheep  Stealer," 
Second  Sergeant;  George  Ziegler,  "Wolf  Catcher,"  Third  Ser- 
geant. Upon  a  poster  inviting  the  members  of  the  Society  to 
attend  a  special  council  August  29,  to  consider  the  propriety  of 
making  arrangements  to  receive  Lafayette,  it  was  noted  that  "  a 
meeting  of  the  Red  Men's  Rifle  Corps  will  be  held  at  Brother 
'Hospitality's'  on  Monday  next,  August  23,  1824." 

The  uniform  worn  by  the  "Rangers"  is  described  as  "a  green 
frock  or  overshirt,  and  leggings  trimmed  with  yellow  fringe ; 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN.  237 

a  fur  cap,  with  deer's  tail  in  lieu  of  feathers  or  pompons  and 
moccasons." 

The  next  mention  of  the  reception  in  honor  of  Lafayette 
appears  on  page  202  of  the  Minute  Book,  at  the  council  held 
under  date  of  August  24,  1824,  wherein  "It  was  agreed  That  a 
Procession  of  Red  Men  should  take  place  in  honor  of  General 
De  La  Fayette's  visiting  Philadelphia,  provided,  that  a  sufficient 
number  of  brethren  will  attend,  whereby  the  procession  shall 
appear  truly  respectable."  At  the  same  council  it  was  unani- 
mously agreed  that  a  committee  of  15  be  appointed,  with  full 
powers  to  fill  vacancies,  "  to  examine  whether  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  brethren  can  be  obtained  to  form  a  respectable  proces- 
sion, and  that  they  report  their  opinion  thereon  at  the  wigwam 
of  Brother  'Black  Bottle,'  on  the  evening  of  the  28th  instant." 
The  committee  appointed  in  accordance  with  this  action  repre- 
sented the  city  proper,  Northern  Liberties,  and  Southwark,  and 
was  as  follows  :  — 

For  the  City — Lieutenant-General  "Old  Warrior,"  Brigadier- 
General  "Hospitality,"  Lieutenant-General  "Red  Oak,"  Brig- 
adier-General "Peppermint,"  Brigadier-General  "Black  Bottle," 
Brigadier-General  "Wheat  Sheaf's  Brother." 

For  Northern  Liberties  —  Brigadier-General  "  Strawberry 
Bush,"  Brigadier-General  "Blue  Crane,"  Brother  "Wolf  Dog," 
Brother  "  Bold  Warrior." 

For  Southwark  —  Brigadier-General  "  Black  Rat,"  Brigadier- 
General  "Deer  Skin,"  Brother  "War  Club,"  Brother  "Black 
Rock." 

At  the  council  held  August  28,  a  preamble  and  resolutions 
were  unanimously  adopted  as  follows  : — 

"WHEREAS,  The  Red  Men  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  are  anxious,  in 
common  with  their  fellow  citizens,  to  pay  that  respect,  and  give  that  reception 
to  the  national  guest,  the  brave  and  patriotic  General  La  Fayette,  who  was 
the  associate  in  arms  of  our  late  Grand  Sachem,  General  George  Washington ; 
he  in  his  youth  left  his  friends  and  country,  at  his  own  expense,  volunteered 
his  services  and  shed  his  blood,  to  obtain  for  us  the  liberty  and  Independence 
which  we  now  so  happily  enjoy  ;  therefore, 

"Resolved,  By  the  Red  Men  of  Pennsylvania,  That  we  will  embrace  the 
present  opportunity  (being,  perhaps,  the  last  time  that  will  ever  offer)  to  pay 
that  respect  due  to  one  whom  we  look  upon  as  the  champion  of  Liberty,  the 
friend  of  Freedom,  and  the  benefactor  of  America. 


238  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

"Resolved,  That  we  will  devote  the  day  of  his  arrival  exclusively  to  his 
reception. 

"Resolved,  That  we  will  on  the  day  of  the  procession,  appear  at  such  place 
as  may  be  hereafter  designated,  with  the  full  insignia  of  our  Tribe  and  badge 
of  our  rank,  the  Revolutionary  cockade,  and  the  La  Fayette  badge. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  Grand  Recording  Scribe,  under  the  direction  of  the 
Generalissimo,  invite  the  Reading,  Lancaster  and  Delaware  Tribes,  to  attend 
on  the  occasion  ;  and  all  brothers  belonging  to  other  Tribes,  who  may  be  in 
the  city  or  vicinity,  are  particularly  requested  to  join  in  the  procession. 

"Resolved,  That  the  above  proceedings  be  published  in  the  city  papers. 

"By  order  of  ' BLACK  WAMPUM,'  Generalissimo. 

"  Signed  by  WIVERWASK.I,  or  '  Red  Oak,1  Lieutenant  General, 

"  Grand  Recording  Scribe" 

No  record  is  made  of  any  action  taken  by  the  Tribes  at 
Reading  or  Delaware,  but  a  reply  was  received  from  Lancaster 
of  which  the  following  is  a  copy  :  — 

"  MR.  KNORR,  Baker,  Sixth  or  Fifth  Street,  between  Market  and  Arch  Streets, 
Philadelphia . 

"DEAR  SIR  AND  BROTHER:  We  have  received  your  'Talk1  of  the  ist  of 
the  Ninth  Moon,  and  note  its  contents.  It  has  pleased  the  Generalissimo, 
'  Smooth  Stone,1  to  appoint  us  a  committee  for  the  purpose  of  addressing  you, 
and  to  return  to  you  individually  our  sincere  thanks  for  the  attention  you  have 
so  politely  honored  us  with.  It  will,  however,  be  impossible  for  the  brethren 
of  Lancaster  to  participate  with  you  in  paying  their  respects  to  the  illustrious 
La  Fayette,  and  the  patron  of  universal  Liberty.  Some,  however,  of  our 
Tribe  are  desirous  of  visiting  Philadelphia,  for  the  purpose  of  paying  their 
respects,  in  common  with  the  rest  of  the  citizens,  to  General  La  Fayette,  and 
will  join  in  procession  with  you. 

"  We  are,  sir,  with  sentiments,  yours,  etc., 

"  SPRUCE,  Major-General  ist  Aid  to  the  Generalissimo. 

"  BACKENSIGA,  Lieutenant  Colonel  and  6th  Aid. 

"  SAGASAUNAY,  Major-General. 
"  LANCASTER,  yth  of  the  Ninth  Moon,  1824." 

At  the  council  held  August  31,  1824,  a  committee  of  arrange- 
ments was  appointed  and  authorized  to  have  badges  prepared  to 
be  purchased  at  the  option  of  the  brethren,  the  committee 
consisting  of  "Big  Canoe  Builder,"  Grand  Marshal,  with 
"  Spike  Driver,"  "White  Oak  Club,"  "Black  Bottle,"  "Screw 
Auger,"  "  Shooting  Stick,"  and  "  Heart  of  Erin  "  as  assistants. 
At  the  next  council,  September  3,  this  committee  reported  that 
they  had  prepared  "  certain  articles  suitable  for  and  to  be  used. 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN.  239 

in  the  contemplated  procession  in  honor  of  our  nation's  guest, 
General  La  Fayette,"  and  further  "that  the  same  will  be  in 
readiness  by  Wednesday  the  8th  instant."  Among  these 
articles  may  be  mentioned  "a  staff  on  which  to  fix  the  banner 
of  the  Order,  with  a  liberty  cap  upon  the  top  which  shall  be  gilt 
and  the  staff  stained  red." 

Under  date  of  September  3,  1824,  a  communication  was 
received  by  the  Generalissimo  inviting  the  Rifle  Corps  to  unite 
with  the  regiment  of  citizen  volunteers,  and  inviting  the 
Generalissimo  to  attend  a  meeting  of  the  board  of  officers  on 
that  evening  at  Mr.  Holt's  tavern,  for  the  purpose  of  making 
final  arrangements  for  the  parade. 

On  September  7,  1824,  it  was  "resolved  that  a  committee  of 
five  be  appointed  consisting  of  '  King  Tom,'  '  Hospitality,' 
'  Fox,'  '  White  Oak  Club,'  and  '  Strawberry  Bush,'  whose 
duty  it  shall  be  to  confer  with  the  Councils,  and  in  concert  with 
them  ascertain  and  fix  the  station  the  Red  Men  shall  occupy 
in  the  contemplated  grand  procession  in  honor  of  our  justly 
distinguished  nation's  guest,  the  beloved,  venerated  La  Fayette." 
This  committee  evidently  corresponded  with  the  Committee  of 
Councils,  for  a  letter  was  received  by  the  committee  of  which 

the  following  is  a  copy  :  — 

"SEPTEMBER  nth,  1824. 

"  GENTLEMEN  :  Your  note  of  the  8th  inst.  was  laid  before  the  Committee 
of  Councils,  who  desire  me  to  say  that  a  place  in  the  procession  for  the  recep- 
tion of  General  La  Fayette  will  be  assigned  by  lot  to  the  Red  Men,  who  are 
invited  to  appoint  a  deputy  to  draw  for  them,  at  the  Common  Council  Cham- 
ber, corner  of  Fifth  and  Chestnut  Streets,  on  Wednesday  next,  the  15th  inst., 
at  three  P.M. 

"  Yours  respectfully, 

"JOSEPH  S.  LEWIS,  Chairman. 

"Messrs.  Thomas  Waterman,  William  Muirhead,  William  Simpson,  M.  M. 
Donohew." 

Brother  "  White  Oak  Club  "  was  appointed  to  represent  the 
Red  Men  at  the  drawing  referred  to,  and  as  the  result  of  his 
performance  of  that  duty  he  made  the  following  report :  — 

"  To  the  Generalissimo  and  Members  of  the  Society  of  Red  Men, 

"  Agreeably  to  lot  I  have,  on  the  part  of  the  Society,  drawn  No.  4  for  the 
procession  in  honor  of  La  Fayette,  being  the  number  preceding  the  lowest 
number  drawn  on  the  day  appointed. 

"M.  M.  DONOHEVV-,  or  'White  Oak  Club."1 


240  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

We  have  before  us  as  we  write  the  original  of  this  report,  and 
upon  it  is  affixed  the  square  piece  of  paper  with  the  figure  4  on 
it  in  ink,  being  the  identical  number  drawn  by  "White  Oak 
Club  "  as  stated  in  his  report. 

At  the  council  held  September  10,  "the  marshals  agreeably 
to  their  duty  produced  the  banners,  liberty  cap,  marshals'  rods, 
etc.,  which  were  duly  approved  of."  The  proceedings  of  the 
committee  were  read,  and  a  copy  of  the  letter  addressed  to  the 
Committee  of  the  City  Councils,  which  received  generafr  satis- 
faction. September  14  it  was  on  motion 

"Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  Society  be  presented  to  the  marshals 
for  their  attention  and  diligence  in  providing  the  sufficient  articles  which  they 
were  particularly  requested  to  attend  to  and  obtain." 

"  Whereupon  the  Generalissimo  in  the  name  of  the  Society 
tendered  them  thanks  accordingly."  At  this  same  council  it 
was  also  resolved  "that  Brother  'Fawn  Deer'  be  authorized 
and  requested  to  engage  the  contemplated  music  for  the 
approaching  grand  procession  in  honor  of  the  nation's  guest." 

At  the  council  held  September  17,  a  resolution  was  adopted 
as  follows :  — 

"Resolved,  That  in  addition  to  the  Society's  badge,  Revolutionary  cock- 
ade, and  La  Fayette  badge,  each  Red  Man  in  procession  will  carry  in  his 
hand  a  sprig  of  Laurel ;  and  that  the  marshals  take  order  for  procuring  a 
sufficiency  of  Laurel  for  the  occasion." 

Further  action  was  taken  at  the  council  held  September  24, 
when  it  was  voted  that  two  brothers  be  appointed  to  carry  the 
standard  on  the  day  of  the  procession,  and  Brothers  "  Hard  Wal- 
nut Knot "  and  "  Bold  Warrior  "  were  appointed  by  the  Society 
as  standard  bearers.  At  the  same  meeting  Brothers  "  Straw- 
berry Bush,"  "  Wheat  Sheaf,"  and  "  Cherokee  Warrior  "  were 
appointed  to  carry  the  implements  and  to  guard  the  banner. 
Evidently  none  but  good  Red  Men  were  permitted  to  appear 
upon  occasions  of  this  kind,  for  we  find  that  it  was  voted  "  on 
motion  by  Brother  '  Byron  '  that  Brother  '  Long  Pen  '  should 
be  notified  not  to  walk  in  the  procession  of  Red  Men  to  wel- 
come General  La  Fayette  until  some  (supposed)  charges  were 
cleared  up."  At  the  succeeding  council  of  September  27,  it 
was  reported  that  the  First  Marshal,  Brother  "Big  Canoe 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN.  241 

Builder,"  was  hurt  and  unable  to  attend  the  procession,  and 
Brother  "  Hard  Walnut  Knot "  was  appointed  in  his  place. 
At  this  council  notice  was  given  by  the  Generalissimo  "to  meet 
at  the  house  of  Brother  '  Hickory  Sapling's  '  to-morrow  morning 
at  seven  o'clock,  to  make  collections  towards  paying  the  music, 
and  then  proceed  in  procession."  Accordingly  on  the  following 
morning  a  council  fire  was  lit  at  the  wigwam  of  Brother  "  Hick- 
ory Sapling,"  and  collection  taken  up  towards  defraying  the 
expenses  of  music  engaged,  the  amount  realized  being  $6.83. 
The  Society  then  adjourned,  and  proceeded  to  join  the  procession 
on  the  Frankford  Road. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  enter  into  an  extended  description  of 
the  magnificent  ovation  given  to  Lafayette  on  the  occasion 
mentioned.  Our  purpose  has  been  to  give  in  detail  the  part 
taken  by  the  Society  of  Red  Men,  and  to  show  that  it  was  an 
organization  of  considerable  importance  in  the  city  of  Philadel- 
phia at  that  time.  There  is  also  evidence  to  indicate  that  in  this 
procession  the  Society  was  represented  not  only  by  the  Rifle 
Corps  but  also  by  the  members  themselves  in  a  body.  While 
refraining  from  giving  a  full  description  of  the  scenes  and  events 
attending  the  reception,  we  will  quote  an  ode  composed  for  the 
occasion  by  Mr.  Benjamin  Mayo,  and  sung  by  a  group  of  twenty- 
four  boys  and  twenty-four  girls  stationed  at  an  arch  at  the  corner 
of  Fourth  and  Vine  Streets  as  the  general  approached.  The 
ode  was  as  follows  :  — 

ODE. 

Strike  the  cymbal!  roll  the  tymbal! 

Sound  the  trumpets!  beat  the  drums! 

Loudly  singing,  cheerily  singing, 

Lo  !  the  patriot  hero  comes! 

Great  Commoner,  slighting  honor, 

Here  the  youthful  hero  came, 

Aiding  strangers,  braving  dangers, 

Human  freedom  was  his  aim. 

Troops  come  prancing,  see,  advancing  — 

All  Columbia's  sons  and  daughters 

Greet  the  hero!  land  and  waters  — 

Streamers  streaming,  shouts  proclaiming 

Far  and  near,  the  hero's  name. 

God  of  thunder,  rend  asunder 

AH  the  power  that  tyrants  boast! 


242  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

What  are  nations  —  what  their  stations  — 
When  compared  with  Freedom's  host? 
What  are  mighty  monarchs  now, 
While  at  Freedom's  shrines  we  bow? 
Pride  of  princes,  strength  of  kings, 
To  the  dust  fair  Freedom  brings ! 
Hail  him!  hail  him!  let  each  exulting  band 
Welcome  Fayette  to  Freedom's  happy  land! 
All  hail  him!  all  hail  him!  all  hail  him! 

We  have  already  stated  that  the  Minute  Book  has  no  record 
in  it  beyond  page  413,  at  which  time  is  recorded  a  council  held 
at  the  wigwam  of  Brother  "Struggler"  on  the  I5th  of  the  fifth 
moon,  1827.  For  an  account  of  the  Society  during  the  time 
intervening  from  1827  to  1832,  we  are  compelled  to  rely  upon 
the  fragmentary  manuscript  minutes  still  preserved,  and  upon 
personal  conversations  with  Mr.  Thomas  J.  Loudenslager  held 
by  Brother  Gorham.  It  will  be  remembered  that  it  was  from 
Mr.  Loudenslager  that  the  documents  were  obtained  from  which 
have  been  given  the  extracts  contained  in  this  chapter  relating 
to  the  Society  of  Red  Men. 

From  the  sources  mentioned  we  learn  that  on  September  2, 
1827,  a  committee  consisting  of  "Red  Oak,"  "  Chief  of  the  North- 
ern Tribe,"  and  "Fair  Play"  was  appointed  to  have  the  dresses 
of  the  Society  properly  repaired.  At  this  same  council  the 
report  was  read,  and  a  committee  previously  appointed  for  the 
purpose  of  drafting  a  new  Constitution  and  code  of  By-Laws 
for  the  future  government  of  the  Society,  but  further  action 
thereon  was  deferred  "until  our  next  council."  As  the  minutes 
of  "  our  next  council "  have  not  been  preserved  there  is  nothing 
to  indicate  the  nature  of  this  report  nor  of  the  Constitution  and 
Laws  adopted. 

November  13,  1827,  a  council  was  held,  at  which  the  Second 
Captain-General  presided.  Four  candidates  were  initiated,— 
George  Grier,  book  printer,  "  Fair  Play's  Brother ; "  George 
Allison,  "White  Metal;"  James  M.  Benckart,  musician,  "Great 
Joy;",  and  Samuel  P.  Mitchell,  Captain-Major,  "Bold  Soldier." 
Then  come  minutes  of  a  council  held  at  the  wigwam  of  Brother 
"Chief  of  the  Northern  Tribe,"  General  Thomas  Snyder,  on 
November  16,  at  which  Generalissimo  "Black  Warrior"  pre- 
sided. A  charge  having  been  produced  against  "  Dry  Berry," 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN.  243 

for  revealing  the  secrets  of  the  Red  Men  under  very  aggravating 
circumstances,  it  was  resolved  that  he  be  declared  unworthy  of 
any  longer  remaining  a  Red  Man.  T^ie  Generalissimo  stated 
that  there  would  be  no  council  fire  lighted  until  the  first  Tuesday 
in  next  month  in  consequence  of  the  dresses  being  out  of  repair. 
The  council  on  December  4,  1827,  was  held  at  the  wigwam  of 
Brother  "Hickory  Sapling."  The  only  action  taken  at  this 
council  was  to  reconsider  the  resolution  of  the  previous  council 
relating  to  Brother  "Dry  Berry,"  and  a  committee  of  three, 
consisting  of  "Turkey  Foot  Warrior,"  "Full  Moon,"  and  "Long 
Pen,"  was  appointed  to  investigate  the  charges  against  the 
brother,  and  to  report  at  the  next  council  the  facts  of  the  case 
with  their  opinion  thereon. 

The  next  council  of  which  we  have  record  was  held  at  the 
wigwam  of  Brother  "Hospitality"  on  December  18,  1827.  A 
candidate  was  initiated,  but  nothing  else  of  importance  seems 
to  have  been  done.  December  21  a  council  was  held  at  the 
wigwam  of  Brother  "  Morning  Star,"  at  which  five  white  men 
were  elected  and  initiated,  and  Brother  "  Dove's  Foot  "  was 
appointed  "Chief  of  the  Southern  Tribe." 

A  break  now  occurs  in  the  minutes,  and  we  have  nothing 
until  November  29,  1830,  when  a  council  fire  was  kindled  at  the 
house  of  General  Thomas  Snyder,  Third  Street,  near  Coates, 
Lieutenant-General  "  Old  Warrior  "  presiding.  The  loss  of  the 
minutes  covering  the  time  intervening  between  December  21, 
1827,  and  November  29,  1830,  is  peculiarly  unfortunate,  as  their 
existence  would  serve  to  make  plain  many  points  now  obscure, 
and  give  information  not  only  concerning  the  existence  of  the 
parent  society  at  Philadelphia,  but  action  taken  to  extend  it  into 
other  cities,  and  the  communications  received  therefrom  sent  by 
brothers  "on  mission"  or  "on  command."  We  can  only  infer 
that  during  this  time  Generalissimo  Lappopetung,  or  "Black 
Wampum,"  George  Knorr  had  resigned,  or  at  least  that  a 
vacancy  had  occurred,  because  in  the  minutes  it  is  stated  that 
a  resolution  was  adopted  to  make  a  nomination  for  Generalis- 
simo. The  "  Old  Warrior "  mentioned  as  presiding  over  the 
council  held  November  29,  1830,  was  Richard  Loudenslager, 
father  of  "Young  Red  Eagle,"  Thomas  J.  Loudenslager,  from 
whom  Brother  Gorham  obtained  the  books  and  papers  of  the 


244  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN, 

society  in  behalf  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States, 
after  a  period  of  thirty-five  years.  It  is  assumed  that  Richard 
Loudenslager  joined  the  Society  in  the  interval  between  1818 
and  1822.  The  only  instance  where  his  name  appears  on  the 
Minute  Book  is  that  which  names  him  as  Lieutenant  of  the 
Red  Men's  Rifle  Corps  or  Morgan  Rifle  Rangers. 

At  this  same  council  of  November  29,  1830,  a  committee  was 
appointed  to  obtain  the  books,  implements,  dresses  and  large 
painting  belonging  to  the  Society.  This  committee  consisted 
of  "  Chief  of  the  Northern  Tribe,"  "Hospitality,"  and  "  Wheat 
Sheaf." 

December  13,  1830,  a  council  was  held  at  the  wigwam  of 
Brother  "Blue  Crane,"  in  the  .Northern  Liberties,  "Wheat 
Sheaf "  presiding.  The  committee  previously  appointed  re- 
ported that  the  dresses  and  large  painting  had  been  procured, 
and  were  in  the  hands  of  Brother  "  Chief  of  the  Northern 
Tribe,"  and  the  books,  papers,  etc.,  were  in  the  hands  of 
"Robin  Hood,"  or  Bashaba  of  Piscataqua,  Henry  Knorr.  Two 
brothers  were  added  to  the  committee,  "Blue  Crane"  and 
"  White  Brandt."  At  this  council  nominations  were  made  of 
candidates  for  Generalissimo.  The  brothers  placed  in  nomina- 
tion being  "  Pine  Grove,"  Charles  Clements  ;  "  Hickory  Sap- 
ling," Chalkley  Baker;  "Strawberrry  Bush;"  "Hospitality," 
William  Muirhead ;  "Blue  Crane,"  "  \Vheat  Sheaf,"  and  "Bull 
Frog."  The  council  adjourned  until  Monday  evening,  December 
20,  1830,  but  of  that  meeting  we  have  no  record. 

Then  comes  the  council  of  January  7,  1831,  held  at  the  house 
of  Brother  "Wheat  Sheaf,"  "Old  Warrior"  presiding.  At  this 
council  four  candidates  were  adopted,  and  the  meeting  ad- 
journed to  meet  on  the  following  Monday  evening,  January  12, 
1831.  This  meeting  was  held  at  the  wigwam  of  Brother  "Hos- 
pitality," who  had  removed  from  his  old  quarters  in  Bank  Street 
to  the  Cosmopolite  Hotel  on  Cherry  Street  above  6th.  At  this 
council  a  report  was  made  by  the  committee  chosen  for  that 
purpose,  that  possession  had  been  obtained  of  the  books  and 
papers  belonging  to  the  Society  from  Brother  "Bull  Frog,"  and 
that  they  were  now  in  the  possession  of  the  Grand  Recording 
Scribe.  They  had  not  recovered  the  dresses,  large  painting, 
and  other  articles.  Brother  "  Chief  of  the  Northern  Tribe  " 


SOCIETY  OF  RED  MEN.  245 

had  promised  to  be  present  at  the  meeting,  but  had  failed  to 
appear. 

January  3.1,  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  wigwam  of  Brother 
"  Hospitality,"  at  which  it  was  resolved  that  Brother  "  Chief  of 
the  Northern  Tribe,"  as  treasurer  of  the  Society,  prosecute 
Jacob  Wolf,  "  Wheat  Sheaf's  Brother,"  for  the  articles  which 
he  holds,  they  being  the  property  of  the  Red  Men. 

No  later  minutes  than  those  above  given  exist.  It  will  be 
seen  that  the  successor  of  George  Knorr,  "Black  Wampum," 
must  have  been  selected,  as  nominations  had  been  regularly 
made  in  December  to  fill  the  vacancy.  The  last  minutes  in  our 
possession,  being  those  of  January  21,  1831,  were  signed  "Young 
Red  Eagle,"  who  appears  to  have  been  the  last  Grand  Record- 
ing Scribe.  It  will  be  remembered  that  this  was  the  name  of 
Thomas  J.  Loudenslager,  and  that  it  was  in  his  possession  that 
the  property  of  the  Society  passed  when  it  finally  ceased  to 
exist.  It  is  to  his  care  we  are  indebted  for  the  knowledge  we 
now  possess,  and  for  the  priceless  treasures  presented  by  him 
to  our  Order.  He  is  cited  as  authority  for  the  statement  that 
his  father,  Richard  Loudenslager,  "Old  Warrior,"  was  elected 
Generalissimo  of  all  the  Red  Men  December  20,  1830.  Some 
doubt  is  expressed  as  to  the  correctness  of  this  date,  although 
the  fact  of  his  election  may  be  accepted  as  beyond  dispute.  In 
1866,  Mr.  Loudenslager  assigned  as  the  cause  of  the  ultimate 
decline  of  the  Society  in  Philadelphia  the  acquisition  of  too 
many  members  of  a  certain  class,  "  who  were  so  clannish  and 
offensively  aggressive  that  they  disgusted  the  better  class  of 
members,  who  withdrew  from  the  Society,,  and  it  finally  ceased 
to  exist."  He  spoke  with  much  earnestness  on  this  subject, 
and  gave  evidence  that  his  early  love  for  the  Society  had  re- 
vived, or  rather  had  never  waned.  As  to  the  time  of  the  disso- 
lution of  the  Society,  he  could  not  state  the  precise  date  with 
absolute  certainty,  but  as  nearly  as  he  could  recall  the  closing 
events  of  the  Society,  it  was  in  the  latter  part  of  1832  or  early 
in  1833. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  in  1832  the  nation  was  visited  by 
the  Asiatic  cholera,  and  the  presence  of  that  terrible  scourge  in 
our  country  made  it  extremely  difficult  to  maintain  the  existence 
of  any  organization,  much  less  secure  additions  to  its  member- 


246 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED   MEN, 


ship.  But,  as  will  be  shown  later,  while  the  parent  Society 
died  out  in  Philadelphia,  offshoots  therefrom  maintained  an 
organization  in  other  localities,  and  served  to  preserve  the  prin- 
ciples and  objects  for  which  it  was  founded.  Upon  this  point 
Brother  Gorham  remarks  :  "  It  will  be  found  by  the  light  of  sub- 
sequent history,  that  although  it  was  thought  that  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men  had  a  different  individual  existence  apart 
from  that  of  the  old  Society  of  Red  Men  in  Philadelphia,  yet  it 
was  a  legitimate  offshoot  or  scion  of  the  parent  stem,  branches 
of  which  were  still  in  active  existence,  which,  had  either  of  them 
seen  fit,  might  have  successfully  disputed  the  rights  of  the 
younger  branches  to  precedence,  and  have  asserted  their  right 
to  exercise  eminent  jurisdiction  over  '  all  Red  Men  wherever 
their  Tribes  existed.'  '  The  authority  upon  which  this  claim  is 
based  will  be  given  in  the  succeeding  chapter,  wherein  will  be 
recorded  the  establishment  of  the  Order  in  Maryland,  and  its 
reorganization  into  its  present  form  as  the  Improved  Order  of 
Red  Men. 

In  closing  this  chapter,  we  feel  that  the  material  herein  pre- 
sented cannot  fail  to  be  of  deep  interest  to  every  member  of 
our  Order.  We  think  we  have  established  all  we  have  claimed 
for  the  Society  of  Red  Men  as  a  legitimate  successor  of  the 
old  Tammany  Societies  of  the  Revolution.  What  will  follow 
brings  us  within  the  domain  of  positive  fact  as  obtained  from 
existing  records. 


CHAPTER   V. 

ORGANIZATION    AT    BALTIMORE. 

THE  third  epoch  in  the  history  of  the  Order,  which  we  will 
now  consider,  covers  that  part  of  the  chronology  for  the  verifi- 
cation of  which  we  have  written  records  that  are  beyond  ques- 
tion. We  have  tried  thus  far  to  show  these  facts :  that  there 
was  a  link  of  common  sympathy  and  common  inspiration  con- 
necting the  earliest  patriotic  societies,  existing  previous  to  and 
at  the  time  of  'the  Revolution,  with  the  Society  of  Red  Men 
formed  in  1813;  that  the  Society  of  Red  Men  existed  from  its 
organization  down  to  a -period  subsequent  to  1830;  and  that 
from  these  various  societies  resulted  the  institution  of  the  fra- 
ternal and  benevolent  organization  now  known  by  the  name  of 
The  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men.  What  has  been  presented 
thus  far  is  certainly  sufficient  to  justify  the  claim  we  make  and 
to  satisfy  every  member  of  the  organization  of  the  patriotic, 
noble,  and  inspiring  origin  of  our  Order. 

A  confusion  of  dates  makes  it  difficult  to  state  positively 
when  the  first  tribe  was  organized  in  Baltimore.  One  authority 
claims  that  on  the  I2th  of  March,  1834,  the  Society  of  Red 
Men,  Tribe  of  Maryland,  No.  I,  was  organized  at  the  house  of 
D.  McDonald,  on  Bond  Street,  Fell's  Point.  This  is  stated,  it 
is  claimed,  on  the  authority  of  manuscript  in  the  handwriting 
of  John  L.  Booker,  who  was  Great  Chief  of  Records  of  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States  from  its  organization 
down  through  many  years  until  1866. 

The  conflicting  claims  as  to  which  Tribe  was  first  organized 
have  been  ably  stated ;  and  in  order  that  a  fair  judgment  may 
be  given,  we  shall  present  here  the  evidence  sustaining  each 
claim,  and  leave  our  readers  to  judge  as  to  which  may  justly 
bear  the  credit  of  priority. 

The  passage  of  years  often  leaves  a  very  perplexing  uncer- 
tainty in  the  minds  of  those  interested  in  an  object  or  an  event 
as  to  many  circumstances  connected  therewith,  and  sometimes 

247 


248  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

this  uncertainty  occurs  about  those  things  most  important. 
Particularly  is  this  so  where  the  subject  in  question  is  one  of 
vital  interest  to  a  comparatively  few.  A  matter  of  national 
importance  leaves  its  impress  upon  the  heart  of  that  nation  so 
indelibly  that  it  can  never  be  effaced,  and  about  the  details 
of  which  there  can  be  little  doubt  or  uncertainty;  but  in 
matters  of  interest  to  a  comparatively  few,  or  where  records 
are  for  a  great  measure  dependent  upon  oral  testimony,  or 
where  inclination,  procrastination,  or  indifference  interferes 
with  the  transmission  of  authoritative  evidence,  mistakes  often 
occur.  Differences  of  opinion  are  apt  to  spring  up,  productive, 
often,  of  endless,  and  sometimes  needless,  discussion.  We 
find  this  to  have  been  the  case  in  the  history  of  our  beloved 
Order. 

In  tracing  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  back  to  the 
institution  of  the  first  Tribe,  we  find  a  slight  difference  of 
opinion  as  to  the  date  of  that  event,  arising  out  of  the  informa- 
tion given  by  the  two  members  of  that  Tribe  who  were  con- 
sidered the  best  authorities  on  the  subject,  and  the  most 
reliable  in  their  data  relative  to  the  early  days  of  the  Order ; 
namely,  Past  Great  Sachem  George  A.  Peter,  and  Past  Great 
Senior  Sagamore  John  F.  Weishampel. 

Brother  George  A.  Peter  was  one  of  the  original  charter 
members,  and  Brother  John  F.  Weishampel  was  adopted  into 
the  Tribe  during  the  first  three  moons  of  its  existence.  The 
former  gives  the  date  as  occurring  during  the  year  1833,  while 
the  latter  asserts  that  the  Tribe  was  formed  in  1834. 

It  is  probable  that  Brother  Peter  dated  the  organization  of 
the  Tribe,  from  its  first  preliminary  meeting,  held  in  December, 
1833,  while  Brother  Weishampel  fixes  the  date  from  the  time 
when  the  Tribe  was  actually  placed  in  operation,  which  must 
have  been  early  in  1834,  as  both  agree  it  took  place  in  the 
winter  season. 

It  is  recorded  in  another  chapter  that  several  associations 
under  the  title  of  Red  Men  had  existed  in  various  parts  of  the 
country  prior  to  the  organization  of  the  Improved  Order  of 
Red  Men,  whose  objects  were  either  of  a  political  or  convivial 
character. 

The  first  reason  —  the  defence  of  the  liberty  of  the  people  — 


ORGANIZATION  AT  BALTIMORE.  249 

which  in  years  past  had  caused  to  spring  into  existence  "the 
Sons  of  Liberty,"  and  later  on  "  the  Sons  of  Saint  Tammany," 
had  passed  away.  America  was  free;  was  independent. 
Hence  in  the  minds  of  the  people  at  large,  political  societies 
had  not  the  strong  hold  they  once  had  held.  The  evil  effects 
of  societies,  purely  and  simply  for  convivial  purposes,  was  so 
patent  that  the  most  reputable  classes  of  the  community  turned 
from  them  with  disgust  and  abhorrence,  and  it  was  realized  by 
those  interested  in  the  continuance  of  the  Order  that,  if  the 
society  of  Red  Men  was  to  be  successful,  it  must  be  planned 
upon  a  different  basis,  and  governed  by  different  principles, 
from  either  of  the  preceding  types  quoted.  Benevolence  — 
Charity  —  must  be  its  redeeming  feature,  which,  in  the  golden 
light  that  beamed  forth  from  the  kindly  acts  of  its  members, 
would  reflect  a  halo  even  upon  the  principles  of  Freedom  and 
Friendship,  which  were  to  constitute  with  it  the  triune  under 
which  the  new  society,  arising,  phcenix-like,  from  the  ruins  of 
the  old,  would  secure  success. 

A  society  of  a  convivial  character  had  been  formed  in  Balti- 
more, Md.,  about  the  year  1833,  the  members  of  which  met 
weekly  in  a  room  over  a  tavern,  on  Bond  Street,  Fells  Point. 
In  reference  to  this  society  the  following  is  quoted  from  a 
pamphlet  prepared  by  Brother  John  F.  Weishampel,  Sr.,  con- 
taining a  long  talk  delivered  by  him  on  Saint  Tammany's  Day, 
May  12,  1837,  in  Trinity  Church,  in  the  city  of  Baltimore.  In 
his  pamphlet,  Brother  Weishampel  also  gives  a  description  of 
the  society  referred  to  in  the  following  clear  and  comprehensive 
language.  He  says :  "  For  some  length  of  time  prior  to  organ- 
izing the  present  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  there  existed  in 
Baltimore,  Md.,  a  lodge,  or  society,  called  Red  Men.  They  had 
their  wigwam,  or  place  of  meeting,  in  the  garret  of  a  tavern. 
They  met  once  a  week,  paid  their  dues,  and  initiated  new 
members  if  any  were  on  hand.  After  the  business  was  over, 
the  rest  of  the  evening  was  spent  in  singing,  telling  yarns, 
making  speeches,  and  convivial  enjoyment,  in  which  the  decanter 
figured  largely.  The  object  of  the  society  appeared  to  be  only 
convivial  entertainment."  The  object  of  the  society  was  thus 
objectionable  to  many.  "  Several  gentlemen  who  had  been 
induced  to  join  the  lodge,  but  who  did  not  favor  such  a  course, 


250  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

withdrew  as  soon  as  they  discovered  the  nature  and  object  of 
the  society,"  and  it  soon  afterwards  broke  up. 

Among  those  who  had  become  members,  in  ignorance  of  the 
prevailing  bad  element  composing  the  Tribe,  were  George  A. 
Peter  and  William  T.  Jones,  who,  observing  the  evil  effects 
exerted  by  the  society  upon  its  membership,  yet  admiring  the 
beauty  of  the  traditional  Indian  features  of  its  ceremonies, 
determined  to  revive  the  interest  of  the  members,  and  instil  into 
their  minds  the  usefulness  and  strength  that  could  be  infused 
into  an  association  founded  upon  the  basis  of  sobriety,  virtue, 
and  mutual  assistance  in  time  of  need,  benevolence,  care  for 
the  sick,  relief  of  the  widow  and  orphan,  and  a  total  absence  of 
those  pernicious  practices  which  had  proven  so  fatal  to  the 
former  societies. 

They  associated  themselves  with  several  other  members  of 
the  old  society,  among  whom  the  names  of  the  following  have 
been  preserved :  John  E.  Stansbury,  G.  H.  Mittnacht,  Peter 
B.  Lucas,  J.  Friedenwald,  and  A.  Lowe.  These  brethren, 
using  their  influence  among  their  paleface  friends,  and  those  of 
their  old  associates  in  the  defunct  society  upon  whom  they 
could  depend  for  support  in  their  laudable  enterprise,  urged 
the  immediate  formation  of  a  new  Order. 

Several  preliminary  meetings  were  held,  at  which  plans,  rules, 
and  regulations  for  the  organization  and  government  of  the  So- 
ciety were  presented  and  discussed.  "  These  meetings  were 
held  at  Elisha  Snike's  Temperance  House,  located  on  Thames 
Street,  Baltimore,  Md.,  at  which  the  final  organization  took 
place." 

The  Tribe  being  now  duly  organized,  the  selection  of  a  name 
became  the  all-important  consideration ;  and  Brother  George  A. 
Peter  proposed  the  name  of  Logan  Tribe,  No.  i,  Order  of  Red 
Men.  This  title  was  afterwards  changed  to  Logan  Tribe,  No  /, 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men.  But  of  this  we  will  speak  a  little 
later  on. 

Thus  after  the  adoption  of  the  title  was  Logan  Tribe,  No.  i, 
announced  to  the  community  as  an  association  formed  for 
mutual  fraternity  and  benevolence,  taking  for  its  motto 

"  FREEDOM,  FRIENDSHIP,  AND  CHARITY." 


ORGANIZATION  AT  BALTIMORE.  251 

The  early  experience  of  the  Order  wa,s  not,  however,  devoid 
of  difficulty  and  annoyances  from  those  who,  having  been 
among  the  bad  element  of  the  old  society,  but  by  fair  prom- 
ises had  gained  admission  into  the  new  one.  Such  trouble 
was  frequent,  and  at  last  culminated  in  an  attempt  to  eject 
the  Sachem  (Brother  George  A.  Peter,  the  first  Sachem  of  the 
Tribe)  from  the  stump.  This  attempt  was  opposed  by  the 
other  members  of  the  Tribe,  and  the  malcontents  were  forcibly 
expelled  from  the  wigwam ;  and  thus  ended  their  member- 
ship. 

In  conformity  with  the  Indian  character  of  the  organization, 
the  officers  received  the  titles  of  chiefs  of  veritable  Indian 
tribes.  The  presiding  chief  was  styled  the  Sachem ;  and  the 
others  graded  as  Sagamores,  Prophet,  Chief  of  Records,  Keeper 
of  Wampum,  Guards  of  the  Forest  and  Wigwam,  Sannaps, 
WTarriors,  and  Braves. 

The  council  fire  was  always  kindled  in  the  centre  of  the 
wigwam,  and  during  its  burning  strict  order  and  decorum  was 
enjoined  upon  the  members.  It  was  always  quenched  at  the 
close  of  the  session  of  the  Tribe. 

Dates  were  computed  according  to  the  Jewish  method,  using 
the  year  of  the  world,  or,  as  it  was  called,  the  great  sun  of  the 
world ;  and  this  continued  for  many  years,  until  changed  by 
the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  in  the  year  1865  for 
that  of  the  great  sun  of  discovery  374,  dating  from  the  discovery 
of  •  America  by  Columbus.  This  change  of  method  of  com- 
putation recognized  the  connecting  link  between  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men  and  the  earlier  societies  elsewhere  mentioned. 

The  term  for  a  year  was  "  a  grand  sun,"  afterwards  changed 
to  "great  sun." 

The  months  followed  the  regular  calendar  order,  but  with  an 
added  title  significant  of  the  season,  as  follows :  January,  Cold 
moon;  February,  Snow  moon;  March,  Worm  moon;  April, 
Plant  moon;  May,  Flower  moon;  June,  Hot  moon;  July,  Buck 
moon ;  August,  Sturgeon  moon ;  September,  Corn  moon ;  Octo- 
ber, Travelling  moon;  November,  Beaver  moon;  December, 
Hunting  moon. 

The  term  "moon"  was  used  instead  of  "month."  Weeks 
and  days  were  termed  "seven  suns"  and  "suns"  Money  was 


252  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

called  "  Wampum"  and  divided  into  denominations  of  fathoms, 
yards,  feet,  and  inchest 

A  fatJiom  was  one  dollar  and  a  half ;  a  yard,  seventy-five 
cents ;  a  foot,  twenty-five  cents ;  and  an  inch  was  two  and  one- 
twelfth  cents. 

These  denominations  were  afterwards  changed  by  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States,  as  follows :  — 

A  fatlwm  was  fixed  at  one  dollar,  a  foot  at  ten  cents,  and  an 
inch  at  one  cent.  Fathoms  and  inches  were  generally  the  only 
denominations  used.  The  chiefs  of  the  Trjbe  were  elected 
every  three  moons,  and  meetings  were  held  once  in  every  seven 
suns. 

The  council  fire  of  Logan  Tribe  was  kindled  on  the  sleep  of 
the  second  sun  (Monday),  in  the  wigwam  of  Elisha  Snike's 
house  on  Thames  Street,  and  the  meetings  were  well  attended 
for  several  great  suns.  The  first  act  of  Logan  Tribe  after  its 
organization  was  to  pass  a  law  that  no  council  fire  should  be 
kindled  in  any  wigwam  where  "  Fire  Water  "  (liquor)  was  sold. 
The  knowledge  of  this  fact  but  adds  to  the  lustre  which  already 
brightens  our  Order's  fair  fame.  Recognizing  the  benefits  to 
be  derived  from  temperance,  they  inculcated  its  principles  in 
the  teachings  and  laws  of  their  Order.  In  these  days  when 
such  warfare  is  waged  against  the  liquor  traffic,  it  is  pleasing 
to  know  the  position  the  organizers  of  our  Order  took  upon  this 
question.  For  upon  whatever  side  of  this  important  issue  we 
stand,  whether  for  or  against  the  temperance  question,  all  must 
deplore  the  result  of  excessive  use  of  liquor. 

This  prohibitory  measure  on  the  part  of  the  organizers  of 
Logan  Tribe  No.  I  struck  at  once  at  the  root  of  the  evil  so  fatal 
to  the  former  Red  Men  Societies ;  many  of  the  old  members 
were  reformed  through  the  efforts  of  the  members  of  the  new 
Tribe,  and  it  speedily  rose  in  the  estimation  of  the  public. 
After  Logan  Tribe  had  been  in  existence  about  one  great  sun, 
and  there  had  also  been  instituted  Metamora  Tribe,  No.  2,  it 
was  deemed  advisable  to  apply  to  the  Maryland  Legislature  for 
a  charter,  so  that  the  Tribe  could  be  recognized  as  an  impor- 
tant body.  Brother  John  F.  Weishampel,  Sr.,  was  appointed  to 
draw  up  the  petition,  and  in  so  doing  prepared  the  papers  in 

1  Proceedings  Great  Council  of  United  States. 


ORGANIZATION  AT  BALTIMORE.  253 

the  name  of  the  "  Improved  Order  of  Re4  Men,"  thus  transpos- 
ing the  original  title,  "  Order  of  Improved  Red  Men."  In  this 
connection  an  extract  of  Brother  Weishampel's  pamphlet  is  here 
quoted  :  — 

"  The  Tribe  increased  in  membership,  and  about  a  year  after 
its  organization  it  was  resolved  to  apply  to  the  Maryland  Legis- 
lature for  a  charter,  and  John  F.  Weishampel  was  appointed  to 
draw  up  and  print  the  petition  for  that  purpose.  He  did  so, 
and  on  all  copies  he  printed  the  name  of  the  Order  as  it  stood 
upon  the  record,  except  one  for  his  own  use,  and  in  that  he 
transposed  the  terms  Order  and  Improved,  and  rendered  the 
name  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men.  He  then  collected  all  the 
copies  of  the  petition  to  which  other  members  had  obtained  sig- 
natures, and,  cutting  off  the  names,  attached  them  to  his  own 
copy,  in  which  the  change  above  named  stood.  The  memorial 
went  to  the  Legislature,  and  a  charter  was  granted  to  Logan 
Tribe  of  Maryland,  No.  I,  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 
None  of  the  members  seemed  to  notice  the  alteration  in  the 
name  and  it  therefore  remained  so." 

Thus  we  see  that  a  successful  stratagem  to  meet  the  views  of 
a  single  member  defeated  the  intention  of  the  founders  of  the 
Order  in  adopting  the  title  first  proposed. 

(There  seems  to  have  been  a  mistake  regarding  the  charter 
of  Logan  Tribe.  The  Acts  of  the  Assembly  of  Maryland  do 
not  show  a  charter  granted  to  Logan  Tribe  alone,  and  no 
charter  was  granted  by  the  Legislature  of  Maryland  until  the 
session  of  1837  or  1838,  in  the  month  of  March,  which  charter 
was  granted  after  a  meeting  of  Logan  and  Metamora  Tribes, 
jointly,  on  May  20,  1835,  the  result  of  which  was  the  forming 
of  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland,  after  which,  of  course,  the 
officers  of  that  body  were  elected.  In  the  charter  granted  the 
names  of  members  of  both  Tribes  appear.) 

In  the  peculiar  wording  of  the  charter,  Logan  Tribe  is  men- 
tioned as  "Logan  Tribe  of  Maryland,  No.  i,  Improved  Order  of 
Red  Men,"  and  this  peculiarity  has  given  rise  to  a  statement  in 
some  quarters  that  the  first  Tribe  was  called  "  Maryland  Tribe, 
No.  i,"  and  by  some  writers  has  been  so  referred  to.  This,  how- 
ever, is  a  mistake,  as  no  such  Tribe  as  "  Maryland  Tribe,  No. 
i,"  ever  had  an  existence  in  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 


254  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

After  an  existence  of  varied  successes  and  failures,  Logan 
Tribe  finally  became  very  popular,  its  peculiar  features  of  charity 
and  benevolence  enlisted  the  attention  of  the  palefaces,  and  it 
attained  a  large  membership. 

An  application  was  made  to  the  Tribe  for  authority  to  estab- 
lish another  Tribe  in  a  section  of  the  city  more  centrally 
located.  This  was  granted,  and  on  the  22d  day  of  June,  1834, 
Metamora  Tribe,  No.  2,  was  instituted,  and  held  its  meetings  in 
a  wigwam  located  at  the  corner  of  West  Baltimore  Street  and 
Tripolet's  Alley  (now  Post-Office  Avenue),  and  selected  the 
sleep  of  the  4th  sun  (Wednesday)  for  the  kindling  of  the  council 
fires.  The  charter  members  of  Metamora  Tribe,  No.  2,  have 
already  been  given.  This  Tribe  promised  well  at  first,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  increasing  its  membership  with  considerable  rapidity. 
It  was,  however,  short  lived,  as  the  records  shaw  that  in  1840 
the  Great  Council  of  Maryland  declared  the  Tribe  defunct. 

Soon  after  the  organization  of  Metamora  Tribe,  No.  2,  it  was 
deemed  best  to  form  a  higher  body,  to  be  known  as  the  Grand 
Council  of  Maryland,  in  order  that  the  laws  and  practices,  as 
well  as  the  ceremonies  of  the  Order,  should  be  under  a  common 
controlling  authority  so  as  to  insure  uniformity,  as  the  authority 
of  Logan  Tribe  over  Metamora  Tribe  was  not  always  strictly 
acknowledged  or  observed  by  the  younger  Tribe.  Accordingly 
delegates  were  selected  from  each  of  the  two  Tribes  (see  long- 
talk  of  J.  F.  Weishampel),  and  on  May  20,  1835  (or  2Oth  sun, 
Flower  moon,  5595),  they  assembled  in  the  old  wigwam  on 
Thames  Street,  Baltimore,  Md.  The  Grand  Council  of  Mary- 
land was  then  and  there  organized  and  selected  (as  already 
given). 

It  will  be  seen  that  Edward  Lucas  held  two  positions,  which 
it  appears  was  allowed  in  the  early  days  of  the  Order,  as  the 
same  thing  occurred  in  5598  (A.D.  1838),  when  Past  Sachem 
John  Miller  held  the  position  of  Grand  Keeper  of  Wampum,  and 
also  that  of  Grand  Prophet.  The  former  title  having  been 
changed  from  "  Chief  "  to  "  Keeper  of  Wampum,"  and  the  word 
"  Worthy "  prefixed  to  the  titles  of  the  grand  chiefs.  (See 
charter  of  Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  3,  of  Maryland.} 

On  the  1 2th  sun,  Flower  moon,  5598,  or  May  12,  1838,  a  dis- 
pensation for  a  new  Tribe  was  granted  to  the  following  appli- 


ORGANIZATION  AT  BALTIMORE.  255 

cants  :  J.  Lysher,  William  Burke  (then*  Grand  Sachem),  T. 
Hynes,  Peter  Green,  W.  G.  Cook,  J.  C.  Chamberlain,  and  George 
W.  Stauffer,  to  form  Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  3,  and  it  was  insti- 
tuted on  the  same  date.  This  was  the  first  Tribe  organized 
under  the  authority  of  the  Grand  Council  of  Maryland. 

The  Order  was  now  firmly  established,  and  seemed  to  be 
on  the  high  road  to  prosperity.  Its  members  were  zealous  and 
untiring  in  their  efforts  to  increase  its  numbers,  and  its  peculiar 
ceremonies  being  so  attractive,  there  was  always  a  good  attend- 
ance at  the  council  fires. 

The  regalia  consisted  of  a  collar  and  apron,  and  in  the  grand 
sun  5604  (or  A.D.  1844),  the  following  was  adopted  as  the  only 
Regalia  of  the  Order :  Collars.  —  For  initiatory  degree,  pink 
(afterwards  changed  to  orange)  ;  second  degree,  blue  ;  third 
degree,  scarlet.  Aprons.  —  Color,  scarlet,  trimmed  with  the 
color  of  the  degree  of  the  wearer.  Regalia  for  officers.  — 
Sachem,  scarlet  collar  trimmed  with  gold ;  Sagamore,  scarlet 
collar  trimmed  with  silver ;  Prophet,  a  white  sash  worn  over  the 
right  shoulder  to  the  left  side. 

In  grand  sun  5617  (A.D.  1857)  the  present  regalia  was 
adopted.  (See  Proceedings  of  Great  Council  United  States.) 

The  number  of  Tribes  did  not  increase  for  several  years, 
which  is  strange  for  an  Order  of  such  intrinsic  worth.  But  the 
members  seemed  to  concentrate  their  efforts  upon  building  up 
the  Tribes  already  formed,  adding  to  their  numerical  strength, 
and  making  them  capable  ,of  self-support,  without  too  great  a 
tax  upon  their  individual  wampum  belts,  an  example  worthy  of 
imitation  in  later  years  when  so  many  skeleton  Tribes  have 
been  formed.  Another  advantage  resulting  from  this  small  but 
continuous  growth  in  membership  was  that  all  members  of  the 
Tribes  became  perfectly  acquainted  with  the  work  of  the  Order, 
and  therefore  better  able  to  instruct  new  brethren  admitted. 

While  the  Order  had  been  to  some  extent  successful,  it  was, 
of  course,  in  its  infancy  and  comparatively  unknown  even  in 
Baltimore.  A  desire  began  to  grow  in  the  minds  of  its  members 
to  have  it  more  generally  known  to  the  community  at  large,  and 
at  the  same  time  to  celebrate  its  anniversary  with  due  honor. 
After  much  serious  consideration,  for  it  was  felt  to  be  a  momen- 
tous question  in  the  history  of  the  Order,  it  was  decided  about 


256  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

the  close  of  grand  sun  5596  that  a  public  anniversary  celebration 
should  be  held,  and  arrangements  were  made  that  the  I2th  sun 
of  the  Flower  moon,  5597  (May  12,  1837),  Saint  Tammany's 
Day,  should  be  celebrated  by  a  public  display  of  the  Tribes,  and 
it  was  determined  that  an  oration  suitable  to  the  occasion 
should  be  delivered  with  attendant  ceremonies,  consisting  of  a 
parade,  etc. 

We  quote  from  the  pamphlet  of  Brother  Weishampel  an 
account  of  this  anniversary  :  — 

"P.  S.John  E.  Stansbury  was  chosen  Chief  Marshal,  and  Past  Sachem 
J.  F.  Weishampel  orator  of  the  day.  Dr.  J.  Bonfield  acted  as  Prophet  pro 
tern.  These  rode  in  a  barouche  at  the  head  of  a  long  and  imposing  proces- 
sion that  marched  through  a  number  of  streets  of  the  city  to  the  Trinity 
Church  in  Old-Town,  where  the  longtalk  was  delivered  to  a  large  audience 
of  members  of  the  Order  and  paleface  citizens  of  both  sexes.  After  the 
oration,  the  procession  re-formed  and  proceeded  to  a  pleasant  grove,  where 
they  partook  of  the  refreshments  provided  for  the  occasion  and  had  an  orderly 
enjoyment  till  toward  the  going  down  of  the  sun,  when  they  formed  again, 
proceeded  to  their  wigwams  and  disbanded  and  sent  their  players  on  horns, 
pipes,  and  drums  home.  This  was  the  first  public  anniversary  celebrated  by 
the  Order." 

About  one  grand  sun  subsequent  to  the  anniversary  above 
mentioned,  the  Order  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of  one 
of  its  oldest  members,  Past  Great  Sachem  William  T.  Jones, 
who  left  the  hunting  grounds  of  earth  after  a  lingering  illness, 
in  1838.  His  death  was  a  sad  loss  to  the  Society,  by  whom  he 
was  respected  and  loved.  He  was  active  always  in  the  interest 
of  the  .Order,  and  when  the  "  Great  Council  of  Maryland  came 
into  existence  he  was  chosen  the  first  Sachem  of  that  body.  So 
unbounded  was  the  confidence  in  him  that  for  most  of  the  time 
he  was  entrusted  with  the  wampum  belt,  without  ever  being 
required  to  give  further  security  than  simply  to  be  willing  to 
take  charge  of  the  funds  as  treasurer."  He  died  on  the  8th 
sun,  Flower  moon,  5598  (May  8,  1838),  aged  thirty-nine  grand 
suns,  leaving  a  widow  and  orphans,  also  a  large  circle  of  friends 
to  mourn  his  departure. 

In  the  demise  of  Brother  Jones  the  Order  suffered  a  severe 
loss,  for  although  he  had  for  a  long  time  been  debarred  by  ill- 
ness from  mingling  with  his  brethren  around  the  council  fire, 
yet  they  remembered  his  early  active  services,  so  faithfully 


ORGANIZATION  AT  BALTIMORE.  257 

rendered  and  by  them  so  highly  appreciated.  His  funeral  took 
place  on  the  Qth  sun,  Flower  moon,  5598  (May  9,  1838),  and 
was  attended  by  a  large  concourse  of  friends,  the  Grand  Council 
of  Maryland,  the  members  of  the  Tribes,  and  also  by  the  Grand 
Lodge,  and  Union  Lodge,  No.  16,  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  of  which  he  was  an  honored  member. 

The  records  of  the  Grand  Council  of  Maryland  show  that 
during  the  grand  sun  5600  (A.D.  1840),  the  charter  of  Metamora 
Tribe,  No.  2,  was  revoked  and  the  Tribe  declared  defunct, 
although  the  reasons  for  this  act  are  not  definitely  given  or 
explained,  and  the  Order  was  thus  reduced  to  two  Tribes,  Logan, 
No.  i,  and  Pocahontas,  No.  3. 

In  the  month  of  September,  5601  (A.D.  1841),  a  new  Tribe, 
named  Metamora,  No.  4,  was  instituted,  the  charter  members 
being :  Louis  Weaver,  Christian  Benner,  Jacob  Weisner,  A. 
Leutz,  and  C.  Hilsbury.  The  Tribe  was  instituted  on  or  about 
the  i /th  of  the  month,  and  continued  to  work  under  the  author- 
ity of  the  Grand  Council  of  Maryland  until  Plant  moon,  grand 
sun  5610  (1850),  when,  on  account  of  a  difficulty  arising  between 
the  Grand  Council  and  the  Tribe,  the  membership  decided  to 
withdraw  from  the  Order  and  form  the  nucleus  of  the  organiza- 
tion known  as  the  Independent  Order  of  Red  Men,  composed 
entirely  of  Germans. 

At  a  session  of  the  Grand  Council  held  April  28,  5603  (A.D. 
1843)  the  question  of  celebrating  Saint  Tammany's  Day  was 
taken  into  consideration,  and  a  committee  was  appointed  to 
make  necessary  preparations  for  a  procession.  On  May  5,  of 
the  same  year,  the  committee  reported  favorably,  and  a  resolu- 
tion was  adopted  to  have  a  parade  and  engage  two  bands  of 
music,  but  no  further  authentic  record  can  be  found  of  the 
affair. 

In  September,  5603  (A.D.  1843),  a  new  Tribe,  to  be  known  as 
Powhattan  Tribe,  No.  5,  was  petitioned  for  by  the  following 
applicants :  Samuel  Halfpenny,  Henry  Slater,  James  Seward, 
T.  Bangs,  and  George  Sables.  This  was  duly  instituted,  and 
has  become  one  of  the  most  successful  and  flourishing  Tribes 
in  the  Order.  At  this  writing  it  is  considered  one  of  the 
wealthiest  Tribes  in  existence,  owning  its  own  wigwam,  known 
as  Pocahontas  Hall,  located  on  the  corner  of  Pratt  and  Bond. 


258  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Streets,  Baltimore,  Md.  The  wigwam  is  a  large,  commodious 
building,  admirably  adapted  to  the  purposes  for  which  it  was 
built,  and  is  often  used  by  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland  for 
the  kindling  of  its  great  sun  council  fires. 

For  another  great  sun  after  the  institution  of  Powhattan 
Tribe,  the  Grand  Council  seems  by  the  records  to  have  kindled 
its  council  fires  each  moon,  and  sometimes  even  more  frequently. 

At  a  special  council  fire,  held  on  April  19,  5604  (A.D.  1844), 
the  question  of  celebrating  Saint  Tammany's  Day  was  again 
discussed,  and  at  a  special  session  held  on  April  26,  of  that  year, 
the  Representatives  from  the  several  Tribes  reported  adversely, 
and  the  matter  was  indefinitely  postponed.  (See  Proceedings  of 
the  Great  Council  of  Maryland,  Vol.  /.)  The  members  of  the 
Order,  however,  seemed  to  be  of  the  opinion  that  a  demonstra- 
tion of  some  kind  would  be  of  benefit  to  the  Order,  and  the 
subject  of  holding  a  "peace  dance"  or  ball,  was  frequently  dis- 
cussed. On  the  minutes  of  the  Grand  Council  fire  kindled 
December  13,  1844,  the  following  resolution  appears  as  having 
been  adopted  :  — 

"  Resolved,  That  this  Great  Council  will  not  permit  the  Tribes  under  its 
jurisdiction  to  have  or  to  hold  any  procession,  ball,  or  other  public  exhibition, 
in  the  wigwam  or  elsewhere,  without  first  obtaining  permission  from  this 
Great  Council." 

It  is  evident  that  permission  was  granted  for  the  proposed 
ball,  as  in  Cold  moon,  5605  (January,  1845),  tne  exact  date  is 
not  on  record,  "a  peace  dance  "  or  public  ball  was  held  at  Wash- 
ington Hall,  located  on  Baltimore  Street,  adjoining  the  bridge 
over  Jones  Falls  (now  Monumental  Theatre).  It  was  given 
under  the  auspices  of  Pocahontas  Tribe,  and  proved  a  most  suc- 
cessful event  in  the  history  of  the  Order,  having  the  effect,  not 
only  of  exhibiting  to  the  public  the  fraternity  of  Red  Men  in  its 
brightest  aspect,  but  also  of  adding  to  the  wampum  belt  of  the 
Tribe.  "  The  Master  of  Ceremonies  "  was  Professor  Charles 
Spies,  now  a  member  of  Ottawa  Tribe,  No.  16. 

From  this  public  demonstration  of  the  Order  good  results 
soon  followed,  and  a  large  increase  of  membership  was  added  to 
the  Tribes.  The  impetus  thus  given  awakened  an  interest  out- 
side the  hunting  grounds  of  Baltimore,  and  communication  was 
opened  with  several  gentlemen  of  Washington,  D.C.,  which 


ORGANIZATION  AT  BALTIMORE.  259 

resulted  in  a  petition  for  the  institution  oft  a  Tribe  in  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  known  as  Powhattan  Tribe,  No.  I,  and  located 
in  the  city  of  Washington.  The  laws  of  the  Great  Council  made 
it  necessary  that  at  least  five  members  of  a  new  Tribe  should 
be  members  of  the  Order,  and  in  obedience  to  this  law,  five 
members  of  Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  3,  of  Baltimore,  took  tem- 
porary cards  of  withdrawal  from  their  own  Tribe  and  went  to 
Washington  to  form  the  new  Tribe.  The  names  of  these  breth- 
ren were  William  H.  Ford,  T.  G.  Miller,  John  L.  Booker,  Wil- 
liam G.  Gorsuch,  and  Louis  Bonsai.  After  forming  the  Tribe 
they  initiated  the  requisite  number  of  palefaces  to  put  it  in 
working  order,  and  then  rejoined  their  own  Tribe.  This  event 
marks  the  first  extension  of  the  Order  outside  of  Maryland.  Of 
those  devoted  brethren  who  aided  in  this  extension,  Past  Great 
Sachem  William  H.  Ford  is  still  a  faithful  member  of  the 
Order  in  Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  3,  while  another,  Past  Great 
Incohonee  William  G.  Gorsuch,  was  the  first  Great  Sachem  In- 
cohonee  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  and  the 
father  of  Susquehanna  Tribe,  No.  27,  of  Baltimore,  Md. 

The  next  step  of  importance  was  the  institution  of  Uncas 
Tribe,  No.  6,  in  the  hunting  grounds  of  Baltimore,  which  located 
its  wigwam  at  the  corner  of  Front  and  Gay  Streets,  the  charter 
being  issued  to  the  following  Chiefs  :  G.  T.  Laws,  J.  Adams, 
W.  Smuller,  P.  Metz,  W.  A.  Allen,  J.  Coburn,  George  F.  Sables, 
J.  C.  Boyd,  and  J.  Kettrich.  This  event  occurred  early  in  the 
great  sun  5605  (A.D.  1845). 

On  the  i8th  sun,  Snow  moon,  5605  (February  18,  1845), 
Osceola  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  was  instituted 
in  the  town  of  Alexandria,  on  a  petition  signed  by  five  members 
of  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland,  who,  as  in  a  former  case, 
took  withdrawal  cards  for  the  purpose.  Their  names  were 
William  G.  Gorsuch,  John  Meisner,  John  L.  Booker,  George  F. 
Sables,  and  James  Pruden.  These  brethren  went  to  Alexandria 
and  established  Osceola  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  the  District  of  Colum- 
bia, and  afterwards  rejoined  their  own  Tribe. 

During  the  same  grand  sun  a  third  Tribe  was  instituted  in 
the  District  of  Columbia,  known  as  Anacostia  Tribe,  No.  3,  by 
members  of  Powhattan  Tribe,  No.  I,  among  whom  were  William 
Tucker,  A.  G.  Herold,  Peyton  Page,  and  Joseph  Mundree.  This 


260  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Tribe  was  instituted  in  Buck  moon  or  Corn  moon,  the  precise 
date  being  uncertain,  in  grand  sun,  5605  (A.D.  1845),  as  appears 
from  the  report  of  the  Great  Council  of  D.C.,  which  was 
shortly  afterwards  organized. 

Three  Tribes  having  been  instituted  in  the  District  of  Co- 
lurnbia,  measures  were  taken  to  form  a  Great  Council  of  that 
jurisdiction,  placing  these  Tribes  under  its  direct  control,  with 
the  agreement  that  the  supreme  authority  of  the  Order  should 
be  vested  in  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland  until  such  time  as 
the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  should  be  formed. 
Accordingly  a  petition  was  sent  to  the  Great  Council  of  Mary- 
land requesting  that  body  to  institute  the  Great  Council  of  the 
District  of  Columbia.  The  Great  Sachem  called  a  special 
council  fire  of  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland  to  consider  the 
matter,  on  the  3Oth  sun,  Sturgeon  moon,  5605  (August  30, 
1845),  when  the  petition  was  read  and  the  application  granted. 
The  names  of  the  petitioners  were  as  follows  :  From  Povvhat- 
tan  Tribe,  No.  I,  John  A.  Stephenson,  Z.  K.  Offutt,  and  T.  H. 
Wannart ;  from  Osceola  Tribe,  No.  2,  Hugh  Latham,  Lewis 
H.  Hopkins,  and  John  Howell ;  from  Anacostia  Tribe,  No.  3, 
William  Tucker,  Peyton  Page,  and  A.  G.  Herold. 

Immediate  steps  were  taken  to  form  the  Great  Council,  and, 
on  the  4th  sun,  Beaver  moon,  5605  (November  4,  1845),  ^  was 
instituted  by  the  great  chiefs  of  the  Great  Council  of  Mary- 
land, Great  Sachem  James  Purden  being  the  instituting  officer. 
The  following  Great  Chiefs  were  elected  and  installed  (the  term 
"raised  up"  not  then  being  in  vogue):  Worthy  Great  Sachem, 
Joseph  Wannels  ;  Worthy  Great  Senior  Sagamore,  William 
Tucker;  Worthy  Great  Junior  Sagamore,  John  A.  Stephenson; 
Worthy  Great  Prophet,  James  Mundell ;  Worthy  Great  Chief 
of  Records,  John  Howell :  the  other  great  chiefs  were  elected 
at  a  subsequent  meeting. 

This  being  the  first  Great  Council  instituted  outside  of 
Maryland,  the  charter,  or  warrant  of  authority,  under  which  it 
worked  is  worthy  of  reproduction.  It  was  as  follows  :  — 


ORGANIZATION  AT  BALTIMORE.  261 


CHARTER  GRANTED  TO  THt  GREAT  COUNCIL*  OF  THE  DISTRICT  OF 
COLUMBIA  BY  THE 

GREAT    COUNCIL    OF    MARYLAND,    IMPROVED    ORDER    OF 

RED   MEN. 
KNOW  YE,  THAT 

\\'hereas,  The  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Maryland  at  the  session 
of  the  said  body  held  in  the  years  of  1837  and  1838,  did  pass  an  act  incor- 
porating the  Great  Council  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  of  the  State  of 
Maryland,  which  Act  is  to  be  found  in  Chapter  181  of  the  said  enactments; 

And,  whereas,  The  said  Great  Council  of  Maryland  has,  by  virtue  of  the 
power  vested  in  it,  established  three  subordinate  Tribes  of  the  said  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men  in  the  District  of  Columbia  ; 

And,  whereas,  The  said  subordinate  Tribes:  —  Powhattan  No.  i,  Osceola 
No.  2,  and  Anacostia  No.  3,  all  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  have  in  due 
form  respectively  petitioned  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland  for  the  privilege 
to  constitute  a  Great  Council  of  the  District  of  Columbia  of  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men,  and  for  a  charter  to  protect  it  in  the  lawful  discharge  of 
its  duties  and  the  maintaining  of  its  rights  and  privileges, 

Therefore,  the  said  Great  Council  of  Maryland  does  hereby  grant  to  the 
said  applicants  represented  by  John  A.  Stephenson,  Z.  K.  Offutt  and  T.  H. 
Wannart  of  Powhattan  Tribe,  No.  I  ;  Hugh  Latham,  Lewis  H.  Hopkins  and 
John  Howell  of  Osceola,  No.  2  ;  William  Tucker,  Peyton  Page  and  A.  G. 
Herold  of  Anacostia,  No.  3,  the  privilege  to  organize  a  Great  Council  of  the 
District  of  Columbia  of  the  said  Order,  and  grants  to  it  the  exercise  of  all  the 
rights,  privileges  and  powers  to  preside  over  and  govern  the  said  Tribes,  and 
all  other  Tribes  the  said  Great  Council  of  the  District  of  Columbia  may  here- 
after establish  in  the  said  District,  according  to  the  usage  of  the  Order.  And 
the  said  Great  Council  shall  further  have  the  right  to  become  a  body  politic. 
And  the  said  Great  Council  shall  be  considered  to  possess  the  power  to 
participate  with  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland  in  the  establishment  of  a 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States  of  the  said  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 
But  the  said  Great  Council  of  the  District  of  Columbia  shall  not  have  power 
to  alter  any  of  the  usages  and  customs  or  principles  of  the  said  Order 
without  the  approbation  and  concurrence  of  the  other  Great  Councils,  or  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  that  are  or  may  be  hereafter  established. 

In  ratification  of  all  the  above  dispensations  and  agreement,  the  said  Great 
Council  of  Maryland  does  on  this  third  sun  of  the  first  seven  suns  in  Beaver 
moon  of  the  grand  sun  5605  (November  4,  1845),  duly  install  the  following 
chiefs  into  the  respective  offices  of  the  said  Great  Council  of  the  District  of 
Columbia,  viz.  :  —  Joseph  Wannels,  Great  Sachem;  William  Tucker,  Great 
Senior  Sagamore;  John  A.  Stephenson,  Great  Junior  Sagamore;  James 
Mundell,  Great  Prophet;  John  Howell,  Great  Keeper  of  Records;  and 
,  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum. 

This  charter  to  remain  in  full  force  so  long  as  the  said  Great  Council  of  the 
District  of  Columbia  complies  with  the  conditions  and  requirements  herein 


262  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

specified,  and  so  long  as  at  least  five  Past  Sachems  of  good  standing  of  the 
Tribes  working  under  its  jurisdiction  are  members  of  the  same.  Otherwise, 
this  charter  is  declared  forfeited  and  of  none  effect,  and  is  to  be  returned  to 
the  source  from  which  it  emanated. 

Given  by  virtue  of  a  unanimous  resolution  passed  by  the  Great  Council  o^ 
Maryland,  assembled  in  Logan  Wigwam  in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  on  the  6th 
sleep  of  the  third  seven  suns  of  Travelling  moon  in  the  grand  sun  5605,  and 
signed  and  delivered  in  the  city  of  Washington  by  the  undersigned  chiefs  of 
the  Great  Council  of  Maryland,  on  this  third  sun  of  the  second  seven  suns  of 
Beaver  moon  in  the  grand  sun  5605,  with  the  seal  of  the  Great  Council 
of  Maryland  affixed  thereto. 

Attest :  —  JAMES  PURDEN,  M.  W.  G.  Sachem. 

GUSTAV  OTTO,  M.  W.  G.  Sen.  Sag. 

WILLIAM  H.  HOOPER,  M.  W.  G.  Jun.  Sag. 

WILLIAM  G.  GORSUCH,  Prophet  pro  tern. 
XJOHN  MEISER,  Keeper  of  Records. 

WERNER,  Keeper  of  Wampum. 

For  some  time  previous  to  this  organization  of  the  Great 
Council  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  doubtless  in  anticipa- 
tion of  that  event,  the  minds  of  the  members  of  the  Great 
Council  of  Maryland  had  been  occupied  with  the  subject  of 
forming  a  supreme  body  to  be  known  as  the  Great  Council  of 
the  United  States.  The  necessity  of  having  a  higher  or  supreme 
organization  with  control  and  authority  over  the  Great  Councils 
which  might  be  organized  to  spread  the  Order  in  other  hunting 
grounds,  and  whose  organization,  judging  from  the  spirit  mani- 
fested, seemed  probable  in  the  near  future,  was  at  length  brought 
more  forcibly  to  the  notice  of  the  membership  by  a  communica- 
tion from  the  Great  Council  of  the  District  of  Columbia  to  the 
Great  Council  of  Maryland,  relative  to  the  right  and  authority 
of  the  former  to  grant  charters  to  new  Tribes.  The  Great  Coun- 
cil of  Maryland  had  reserved  the  right  of  granting  charters  and 
instituting  new  Tribes  in  all  localities  except  the  District  of 
Columbia,  and,  consequently,  any  attempt  to  execute  this  power 
on  the  part  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  District  of  Columbia, 
would  have  resulted  in  a  conflict  of  authority,  and  to  avoid  such 
conflict  it  was  determined  to  organize  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States  with  supreme  authority  over  all  Great  Councils, 
and  to  organize  Tribes  outside  of  Maryland  and  the  District  of 
Columbia.  But  this  important  step  was  not  taken  without 
great  deliberation,  the  membership  of  the  Order  seemingly 


ORGANIZATION  AT  BALTIMORE.  263 

desiring  to  avoid  any  unfavorable  result  tifiat  may  follow  undue 
haste  or  inconsiderate  action. 

In  the  early  part  of  Cold  moon,  5606  (January,  1846),  a  reso- 
lution was  adopted  by  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland  to  appoint 
a  committee  to  inquire  into  the  expediency  of  forming  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States,  and  should  that  committee  deter- 
mine that  it  was  necessary  and  expedient,  it  was  empowered  to 
take  such  steps  necessary  toward  that  object  and  report  the 
action  taken  to  the  Great  Council.  The  committee  consisted 
of  Great  Sachem  Gustav  Otto,  Past  Great  Sachem  James  Purden, 
Past  Great  Sachem  George  Ketler,  and  Past  Great  Sachem 
George  Fastie.  The  committee  made  a  favorable  report  on  the 
7th  sun  of  Corn  moon,  5606  (September,  1846),  having  had  the 
matter  under  consideration  for  the  space  of  seven  months. 
The  report  was  accepted  and  the  committee  continued.  The 
Great  Council  passed  a  resolution  that  none  should  be  eligible 
to  membership  in  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  except 
Past  Great  Sachems,  and  acting  on  this  resolution  the  committee 
seems  to  have  formed  its  members  into  a  permanent  body  as  a 
nucleus  for  the  formation  of  the  Great  Council,  and  sent  a  com- 
munication to  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland  on  the  I3th  sun  of 
Beaver  moon,  5606  (November  13,  1846), -requesting  that  body 
to  send  a  Past  Great  Sachem  to  represent  it  at  a  meeting  of  the 
self-constituted  Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  The  Great 
Council  of  Maryland,  however,  ignored  the  request  and  an- 
nulled the  resolution  making  Past  Great  Sachems  alone  eligible 
as  members  of  the  proposed  Great  Council  of  the  United  States, 
and  elected  three  members,  not  Past  Great  Sachems,  as  Repre- 
sentatives to  said  Great  Council,  and  instructed  each  Tribe  to 
send  one  Past  Sachem  as  a  delegate  to  form  the  supreme  body. 
A  communication  was  also  sent  to  the  Great  Council  of  the 
District  of  Columbia,  requesting  that  body  to  send  delegates  ; 
but  the  Great  Council  of  the  District  declined  to  take  part,  and 
so  informed  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland.  This  resulted  in 
the  passage  of  a  resolution  by  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland, 
"that  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  shall  be  forthwith 
opened,"  and  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  was  instructed  to  so 
notify  the  Great  Council  of  the  District  of  Columbia. 

In  the  meantime  applications  had  been  received  to  institute 


264  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

two  new  Tribes  in  Baltimore,  —  Wacusta,  No.  7,  and  Philip, 
No.  8.  The  former,  however,  from  some  cause  not  explained 
was  never  instituted.  The  latter  was  duly  organized  and  a  char- 
ter granted  to  the  following  applicants :  Past  Great  Sachem 
Gustav  Otto,  and  Past  Sachems  D.  Lustre,  L.  Weber,  A.  Bal- 
lauf,  and  J.  L.  Muhlhoffer,  together  with  a  number  of  brethren 
from  Logan  Tribe.  The  Tribe  was  instituted  in  the  latter  part 
of  5606  (1846).  An  application  was  also  received  from  a  num- 
ber of  members  to  form  Mohegan  Tribe,  No.  9,  at  Cumberland, 
Md.,  which  was  granted. 

At  this  time  the  Order  consisted  of  the  Great  Council  of 
Maryland,  Logan  Tribe,  No.  I,  Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  3,  Met- 
amora  Tribe,  No.  4,  Powhattan  Tribe,  No.  5,  Uncas  Tribe,  No.  6, 
and  Philip  Tribe,  No.  8,  of  Maryland ;  the  Great  Council  of  the 
District  of  Columbia,  Powhattan  Tribe,  No.  i,  Osceola  Tribe, 
No.  2,  Anacostia  Tribe,  No.  3,  and  Shawnee  Tribe,  No.  4,  of 
the  District  of  Columbia. 

Shortly  after,  a  change  was  made  in  the  numbering  of  the 
Tribes  under  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  they  became  known 
as  follows :  Powhattan  Tribe,  No.  i,  and  Anacostia  Tribe,  No. 
2,  of  Washington,  D.C. ;  Osceola,  No.  i,  and  Shawnee,  No.  2, 
of  Virginia. 

We  have  nearly  completed  the  early  history  of  our  beloved 
Order  from  its  earliest  origin  up  to  the  time  of  the  organization 
of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States. 

With  pleasurable  pride  we  have  noted  its  advance,  its  increase 
of  Tribes,  its  added  membership,  its  wise  administration  of  power 
in  small  jurisdictions,  until,  grown  stronger  and  larger,  it  was 
deemed  advisable  to  combine  in  one  supreme  body,  with  repre- 
sentation from  all  smaller  executive  bodies,  the  authority  and 
control  of  the  Order  at  large.  So  was  formed,  as  we  will  now 
read,  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States. 

Until  this  period,  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland  had  held 
supreme  sway,  from,  or  through  the  right  of  priority,  and  justly 
so,  for  a  body,  which  resulted  from  the  forming  of  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men  should  have  supreme  control  of  it,  in  its 
infancy  at  least,  until  its  noble  principles  were  so  familiar  to 
its  members,  that  they  were  fitted  to  go  among  strangers  and 
establish  branches,  and  teach  the  golden  principles  of  Freedom, 
Friendship,  and  Charity. 


ORGANIZATION  AT  BALTIMORE.  265 

As  the  Order  grew  older,  the  members  qf  the  different  Tribes 
began  to  feel  a  desire  for  a  Great  Council  in  which  all  should 
meet  on  an  equal  footing,  without  the  prestige  of  priority  which 
the  Great  Council  of  Maryland  had  always  held,  and  which,  from 
its  birth  as  we  have  shown,  had  been  its  right. 

The  civil  charter  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States 
was  granted  to  the  Order  by  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania,  for  this  reason  :  that  the  Legislature  of  Maryland 
would  not  grant  a  charter  to  any  corporate  body  unless  the 
applicants  were  all  residents  of  the  State,  and  the  applicants  for 
the  charter  of  the  United  States  were  not  all  from  Maryland. 
The  Great  Council  of  the  State  of  Maryland  was  incorporated 
by  the  Legislature  on  the  I4th  sun,  Worm  moon  5598  (session 
1837-1838).  The  Great  Council  of  Maryland  having  been  given 
a  legal  existence,  forthwith  issued  charters  to  Logan  Tribe, 
No.  i,  and  Metamora  Tribe,  No.  2.  These  charters  bore  the 
date,  2ist  sun,  Worm  moon,  G.  S.  5598  (March  21,  1838). 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  give  a  copy,  in  our  retrospective, 
of  the  first  charter  issued  by  this  august  body.  It  is  as  follows :  — 

CHARTER 
GRANTED  BY  THE  GREAT  COUNCIL  OF  MARYLAND 

OF   THE 

IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  RED  MEN. 

Organized  Incorporated 

on  the  on  the 

\2tk  day  of  May,  \$th  day  of  March, 

A.L>.  1836.  A.D.  1838. 

To  ALL  WHOM  IT  MAY  CONCERN: 

Know  ye  that  the  Great  Council  of  Baltimore  and  State  of  Maryland  doth 
hereby  grant  this  Charter  or  Dispensation  to  the  following  Brothers  of  the 
said  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  viz. :  William  T.  Jones,  P.  R.  Hilditch, 
George  A.  Peter,  John  Miller,  George  Fastie,  Jones  Fridewald,  Giles  Harki- 
ness  and  John  Hugget,  the  said  Brothers  all  residing  in  the  city  of  Baltimore, 
and  in  the  State  of  Maryland,  to  establish  a  Tribe  of  the  said  Order  in  the 
said  city,  to  be  hailed  and  known  by  the  title  of  Logan  Tribe,  No.  i,  who, 
being  duly  formed,  are  hereby  authorized  and  empowered  to  initiate  into  the 
mysteries  of  the  said  Order  any  person  or  persons  duly  and  regularly  pro- 
posed, and  elected  agreeably  to  the  General  Laws  adopted  or  amended  by 
this  Great  Council,  as  they,  the  said  Great  Council,  shall  from  time  to  time 


266  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

hereafter  alter,  amend,  or  adopt ;  and  to  administer  to  all  Brothers  who 
are  known  to  be  of  good  character  and  standing  in  society,  the  privileges 
and  benefits  arising  therefrom:  and  they,  the  said  Logan  Tribe,  No.  i,  are 
hereby  empowered  by  the  said  Great  Council  to  enact  By-Laws  in  accordance 
with  the  General  Laws,  and  subject  to  all  amendments  of  the  said  Great 
Council  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  for  the  government  of  their  said 
Tribe;  and,  provided  that  the  said  Logan  Tribe,  No.  i,  do  in  all  matters  and 
points  act  according  to  the  usages  and  customs  adopted  by  the  Great  Council, 
and  they,  the  said  Logan  Tribe,  No.  i,  are  hereby  bound  to  adhere  to  and 
support  the  articles  or  amendments  as  aforesaid  of  this  Great  Council,  and 
adhering  to  and  supporting  the  articles  delivered  with  this  Charter  or  Dispen- 
sation ;  and  in  default  of  which,  the  said  Great  Council,  at  their  decision,  may 
declare,  or  take  away,  or  suspend  as  null  and  void,  and  of  none  effect,  this 
Charter,  as  the  said  Council  are  fully  empowered  so  to  do  by  an  Act  passed 
by  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  Maryland  on  the  I4th  day  of  March,  A.D. 
one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-eight. 

In  witness  whereof,  we,  the  officers  of  the  said  Great  Council,  have  here- 
unto subscribed  our  names  and  affixed  the  seal  of  the  Great  Council  of  Mary- 
land, in  the  United  States  of  America,  the  2ist  day  of  March,  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  thirty-eight.  WILLIAM  B.  BURKE,  W.  G.  S. 

GEORGE  FASTIE,  W.  G.  S.  S. 

AUGUST  KETLER,  W.  G.  J.  S. 

JOHN  MILLER,  W.  G.  P. 

THOMAS  HENNA,  W.  G.  C.  of  R. 

From  some  unexplained  cause,  the  charter  of  Pocahontas 
Tribe,  No.  3,  was  not  issued  until  the  2/th  sun,  Hunting  moon, 
of  the  same  year  (December  27,  1838),  although  the  then  pre- 
siding Great  Sachem  was  a  member  of  that  Tribe.  (See  charter 
of  Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  3.) 

In  the  case  of  Logan  Tribe,  No.  i,  and  Metamora  Tribe, 
No.  2,  this  act  of  the  Great  Council  was  a  secondary  act  of 
authority.  Logan  Tribe,  No.  i,  and  Metamora  Tribe,  No.  2, 
derived  its  rights  and  powers  from  its  institution  as  a  branch  of 
the  Order  from  Logan  Tribe,  No.  i,  which,  when  the  Great 
Council  was  formed,  of  course,  surrendered  all  its  former  au- 
thority as  the  head  of  the  Order,  and  became  itself  subordinate 
to  the  higher  power  of  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland,  formed 
by  Representatives  from  both  Tribes,  in  grand  sun  5595  (A.D. 
1835).  IR  issuing  the  charters  of  the  Tribes  here  referred  to, 
the  Great  Council  inserted  the  names  of  the  chiefs  of  the  Tribe 
who  occupied  the  stumps  at  the  date  of  issuing  these  charters, 
and  not  to  the  original  members  who  applied  to  have  the  Tribes 


ORGANIZATION  AT  BALTIMORE.  267 

instituted,  and  this  has  given  rise  to  a  seeming  confusion  of 
dates,  and  led  some  brethren  astray  when  attempting  to  arrive 
at  the  date  of  original  formation  and  seniority  of  the  first  Tribe. 
No  one  disputes  that  George  A.  Peter,  and  William  T.  Jones 
were  original  members  of  Logan  Tribe,  No.  i,  at  its  institution, 
but  the  charter  of  Logan  Tribe,  No.  i,  contains  the  following:  — 

FREEDOM,   FRIENDSHIP,   CHARITY. 
THE  GREAT  COUNCIL  QF  MARYLAND  IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  RED  MEN. 

To  WHOM  IT  MAY  CONCERN: 

Know  that  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland,  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men, 
doth  grant  this  Charter  to  the  following  Chiefs :  Charles  Treusch,  Christie 
Druff,  Louis  Toenis,  Peter  Nagle,  William  Segnell,  J.  W.  Kratz. 

Issued  this  2ist  sun  Worm  moon,  grand  sun  5598. 

To  be  known  and  hailed  as  Logan  Tribe,  No.  i,  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men,  etc.,  etc. 

Thus,  it  will  be  seen  that  neither  of  the  names,  George  A. 
Peter  nor  William  T.  Jones,  appear  on  the  charter,  and  the  only 
date  is  grand  sun  5508,  2ist  Worm  moon.  No  date  of  the  com- 
mon era  appears  anywhere  in  the  charter,  and  upon  the  seal 
which  is  twice  affixed,  once  in  plain  impress,  and  again  in  the 
colors  of  the  Order,  the  date  2Oth  sun,  Flower  moon,  G.  S.  5598, 
the  date  of  the. organization  of  the  Grand  Council  of  Maryland, 
•can  be  distinctly  seen. 

At  the  present  writing,  A.D.  1893,  this  charter  is  still  in  ex- 
istence, a  venerable  document,  discolored  by  age,  but  in  good 
state  of  preservation,  being  glued  to  a  strong  linen  or  canvas 
back  to  prevent  injury,  and  is  signed  by  William  B.  Burke, 
Great  Sachem,  George  Fastie,  Great  Senior  Sagamore,  and 
other  great  chiefs  of  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland. 

The  charter  of  Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  3,  still  hangs  in  the 
wigwam,  even  more  venerable  in  appearance  than  that  of  the 
defunct  Logan  Tribe,  yet  still  perfectly  legible,  and  bears 
the  words  "Organized  on  the  I2th  day  of  May,  1838,"  on  the 
left-hand  side  of  the  vignette,  and  the  date,  March  14,  1838,  on 
the  right,  the  latter  being  the  date  of  the  incorporation  of  the 
Great  Council  of  Maryland,  by  the  Maryland  Legislature. 

The  charter  is  signed  by  the  following  Great  Chiefs :  W.  B. 
Burke,  Worthy  Great  Sachem ;  George  Fastie,  Worthy  Great 


268  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Senior  Sagamore;  August  Ketler,  Worthy  Great  Junior  Saga- 
more ;  John  Miller,  Prophet ;  Thomas  Hanna,  Worthy  Great  C. 
of  R.  ;  John  Miller,  Worthy  Great  K.  of  W.  ;  and  it  is  issued  to 
the  following  chiefs  of  the  Tribe :  William  B.  Burke,  Zefhe- 
miah  Lyster,  Peter  Green,  Thomas  Hines,  George  W.  Stauffer, 
W.  E.  Cook,  J.  M.  E.  Chamberlain. 

On  the  accuracy  of  the  dates  pertaining  to  the  institution  of 
these  three  first  Tribes  depends  the  correctness  of  the  history 
of  the  Order.  Many  of  the  early  records  of  the  Order  have 
been  lost,  or  more  probably,  wantonly  destroyed,  as  they  have 
never  been  seen  by  any  member  of  the  Order  since  their  removal 
from  the  office  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  in  tJie 
Great  Sun  of  Discovery  375,  at  which  time  a  new  Great  Chief 
of  Records  was  elected,  and  a  portion  of  the  manuscript  records 
were  concealed  or  destroyed.  Several  attempts  have  been  made 
to  recover  them,  or  gain  some  information  as  to  their  whereabouts, 
but  no  positive  information  has  been  obtained  by  any  one.  It 
is  the  absence  of  these  records  which  has  caused  dispute  and 
confusion  of  dates  and  localities  heretofore,  existing  prior  to  the 
research  contained  in  this  work,  obtained  after  the  expenditure 
of  time,  labor,  and  money,  from  old  books,  documents,  charters 
of  the  old  Tribes,  records,  and  manuscripts,  and  evidence  and 
information  derived  from  the  oldest  living  members  of  the  Or- 
der, as  well  as  contemporaneous  historical  data,  as  shown  by  the 
following  letter  from  G.  A.  Peter,  the  founder  of  the  Order:  — 

CINCINNATI,  Sept.  17,  1872. 

PAST  GREAT  SACHEM,  GEORGE  W.  LINDSAY: 

Esteemed  Brother :  —  Having  examined  your  report  of  the  origin  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  from  the  information  I  received  from  Brother 
Muirhead  formerly  of  Philadelphia  and  other  old  members  of  the  Order,  7 
think  that  you  are  very  accurate  in  its  history,  and  from  and  after  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  I  can  certify  to  its  correctness  in 
organization  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men.  We  severed  our  connec- 
tion with  the  old  Society  of  Red  Men  that  was  instituted  in  Baltimore  by 
Brother  William  Muirhead,  he  having  subscribed  to  an  agreement  to  become 
a  member  and  support  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

Yours  fraternally  in  the  bonds  ot  F.  F.  and  C. 

GEORGE  A.  PETER. 

Brother  George  A.  Peter  was  the  first  Sachem  of  Logan 
Tribe,  and  Brother  William  T.  Jones,  the  first  Great  Sachem  of 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men- 


ORGANIZATION  AT  BALTIMORE.  269 

) 

A  letter  written  by  Brother  George  A.  Peter  to  one  of  the 

compilers  of  this  work,  contributes  much  to  the  settlement  of 
this  point,  it  having  been  at  one  time  disputed  by  Brother  John 
F.  Weishampel,  who  was  misled  by  his  recollections,  dating 
back  some  forty  years,  and  he  mistook  the  chieftaincies,  award- 
ing to  Brother  Jones  the  credit  of  founding  the  Improved  Order 
of  Red  Men,  which  credit  indisputably,  in  the  light  of  other 
evidence,  belongs  to  Brother  George  A.  Peter. 

The  writer  has  on  many  occasions  consulted  with  Brother 
Richard  Marley,  prior  to  his  death,  who  was  one  of  the  earliest 
members  of  the  Order,  and  whose  active  membership  made  him 
a  most  reliable  authority.  He  always  most  emphatically  stated 
that  Brother  George  A.  Peter  was  the  first  Sachem  of  Logan 
Tribe,  No.  i,  and  other  aged  members  of  that  Tribe  corroborate 
Brother  Marley's  statement. 

This  distinguished  honor  was  conferred  on  Brother  Peter  for 
his  earnest,  honest,  and  devoted  work  in  reclaiming  the  name  of 
Red  Man  from  the  disgrace  and  obloquy  into  which  it  had 
fallen  among  other  societies,  and  for  his  success  in  organizing 
the  first  Tribe  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men.  He  was 
foremost  in  the  work,  and  his  name  will  be  revered  as  the 
founder  of  the  Order  so  long  as  Redmanship  has  a  place  in  the 
hearts  of  its  members. 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  say  here,  that  from  time  to  time, 
during  the  thirteen  great  suns  preceding  the  organization  of  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  applications  were  received 
and  petitions  granted  to  form  Tribes  in  distant  hunting  grounds, 
special  authority  being  given  to  brothers  deputized  for  the  pur- 
pose. But  when  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  was 
organized,  there  existed  no  Tribes  of  the  Improved  Order  of 
Red  Men  anywhere  except  in  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia, 
and  Virginia. 

We  are  thus  brought  down  to  the  period  when  a  supreme 
body  seemed  necessary  with  authority,  shared  equally,  in  a 
representative  capacity,  by  all  the  Great  Councils  and  other 
bodies  subordinate  to  it.  In  chapters  VII  and  VIII  is  given 
the  history  of  that  supreme  body,  named  the  Great  Council  of 
the  United  States,  from  its  institution  in  1847  down  to  the  pres- 
ent time. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

ORGANIZATION    AT    BALTIMORE.       ANOTHER    VERSION. 

IN  justice  to  all  concerned,  it  seems  necessary  to  state  claims 
made  somewhat  at  variance  with  those  in  the  preceding  chapter. 
The  facts  and  claims  thus  stated  are  those  made  by  the  late  Past 
Great  Incohonee,  Morris  H.  Gorham. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  the  time  of  which  we  are  writing 
was  sixty  years  ago,  and  that  many  of  the  dates  given  are  based 
upon  human  memory,  always  faulty,  of  the  matters  stated,  and 
lacks  the  verification  of  the  official  documents  and  records, 
which,  but  for  their  unfortunate  disappearance,  might  establish 
the  exact  facts  beyond  dispute.  All  we  can  do  is  to  present  the 
conflicting  claims,  the  argument  given  to  sustain  each,  and  then 
leave  the  reader  to  judge  which  rests  upon  the  soundest  pre- 
sumption of  plausibility.  With  this  end  in  view  the  following 
is  given  as  the  evidence  fairly  stated  of  the  counter-claim  con- 
cerning the  Tribe  at  Baltimore. 

In  a  preceding  chapter  an  account  was  given  of  the  approxi- 
mate date,  at  which  branches  of  the  Society  of  'Red  Men  were 
established  in  different  parts  of  the  country.  The  facts  there 
stated  indicate  that  Minowakinton,  or  "  Iron  Stone,"  John  M. 
Byrns  (Burns),  5th  Major-General,  was  General-in-Chief  of  all 
the  southern  Tribes  in  1818,  at  which  time  he  organized  a  Tribe 
at  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  which  became  broken  up  by 
reason  of  the  plague  in  1820,  and  which  was  apparently  never 
reorganized.  In  his  letter  to  the  Generalissimo  in  1826  he 
recites  this  fact,  and  states  that  "  Walk-in-the-Water  "  held  an 
appointment  under  the  government  in  Florida,  "Little  Oak" 
in  Mexico,  and  "Eagle  Eye"  in  Maryland.  The  "Eagle  Eye" 
referred  to,  as  shown  by  the  Muster  Roll,  was  Marinus  W.  Pike. 
On  another  Roll  "Iron  Stone"  is  entered  as  "commanding  in 
Maryland."  From  this  it  is  inferred  that  when  he  left  Charles- 
ton, on  account  of  the  epidemic  prevailing  in  that  city,  he  pro 

270 


ORGANIZATION  AT  BALTIMORE.  271 

ceeded  to  Baltimore,  and  by  virtue  of  his  seniority  of  rank, 
assumed  command  of  the  Red  Men  in  Maryland.  An  explana- 
tion has  already  been  given  of  the  different  significations  of  "  on 
mission  "  and  "  commanding  "  or  "  on  command."  The  fact  that 
his  name  was  entered  upon  the  roll  as  "  commanding  "  in  Mary- 
land, also  indicates  the  existence  of  the  society  of  Red  Men 
there  as  early  as  1820,  even  if  not  established  in  1818  by  Byrns 
on  his  way  south.  As  a  further  proof  of  the  existence  of  the 
Order  in  Maryland  at  the  time  named,  references  may  be  had  to 
a  letter  dated  May  13,  1820,  by  Yeougheowanewago,  or  "Split 
Log,"  Francis  Shallus,  Generalissimo,  and  addressed  to  "Split 
Log's  Brother,"  Metawa  of  Chippewa,  late  Poscopsahee  or 
"  Black  Cat,"  Grand  Chief  of  the  Mandans,  Brigadier-General 
by  Brevet,  now  5th  Major-General,  "commanding  in  Maryland." 
The  ink  in  which  the  words  to  Split  Log's  Brother,  Metawa  of 
Chippewa,  are  written,  is  very  much  brighter  than  the  balance 
of  the  superscription  which  has  perceptibly  faded.  This  letter 
was  found  among  the  papers  of  Richard  Marley  after  his  death. 
From  these  the  inference  has  been  drawn  that  it  was  addressed 
to  Brother  Marley.  If  this  was  so,  then  Richard  Marley  must 
have  been  in  command  of  a  Tribe  in  Maryland  at  that  time,  but 
on  page  209  of  the  Minute  Book,  is  entered  among  others, 
admitted  under  date  of  September  14,  1824,  the  name  of  "  Rich- 
ard Marley,  Cordwainer,"  proposed  by  "  Hospitality,"  name 
received  Metawa,  or  "  Moose  Deer's  Brother." 

Again,  on  October  28,  1857,  the  late  Past  Great  Incohonee 
Hugh  Latham,  in  an  address  delivered  at  Lancaster,  Pa., 
reported  in  the  Conestoga  Chief,  of  October,  1857,  stated  that 
"our  worthy  brother  Past  Great  Incohonee,  Richard  Marley, 
was  a  Major-General,  and  called  Eagle  Eye."  Having  removed 
to  Baltimore,  he  was  appointed  Chief  of  the  Maryland  Tribe, 
with  the  title  of  "  Split  Log,"  and,  agreeably  to  instructions, 
caused  a  council  fire  to  be  kindled  in  that  city  in  June,  1820. 
It  is  presumed  Brother  Latham  obtained  this  information  from 
Brother  Marley,  and  it  is  asserted  that  in  lapse  of  time  between 
1820  and  1857  some  confusion  of  dates  must  have  occurred 
in  the  account  of  Brother  Marley,  as  the  statement  quoted  is  in 
conflict  with  the  documents  in  existence.  On  Muster  Rolls 
Nos.  2,  3,  and  4,  the  name  of  Richard  Marley  is  entered  as 


272  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Major-General  "commanding  in  Maryland"  ;  but  on  these  Mus- 
ter Rolls  appears  no  date  to  indicate  the  time  of  appointment, 
or  when  such  command  was  exercised  or  held.  The  title  given 
Brother  Marley  on  these  rolls  is  neither  "  Eagle  Eye "  nor 
"  Split  Log,"  but  "  Split  Log's  Brother."  "  Eagle  Eye  "  was  the 
name  of  Marinus  W.  Pike,  and  "  Split  Log  "  was  'the  name  of 
Francis  Shallus,  the  first  Generalissimo  of  the  Society.  It  is 
possible,  however,  that  Brother  Marley  was  mistaken  as  to  the 
date  of  kindling  the  council  fire  in  Maryland. 

There  were  no  less  than  five  members  of  the  Society  in 
Philadelphia  by  the  name  of  Marley ;  and,  recalling  the  custom 
already  alluded  to  in  the  former  chapter,  of  expressing  con- 
sanguinity by  the  title  given  to  a  member  at  adoption,  we  may 
infer  that  William  Marley,  whose  name  appears  on  Roll  No.  I, 
under  date  of  February  4,  1817,  with  the  title  of  Toxus  of 
Norridgewock,  or  "  Moose  Deer,"  was  undoubtedly  the  father 
of  William  Cooper  Marley,  whose  name  appears  on  Roll  No.  2, 
with  the  title  of  Norridgewrigwock,  or  "Young  Moose  Deer," 
and  that  he  was  the  brother  of  Richard  Marley,  whose  name  ap- 
pears on  Roll  No.  2,  with  the  title  of  Metawa  of  Chippewa,  or 
"  Moose  Deer's  Brother,"  and  subsequently,  having  attained  the 
rank  of  3d  Major-General,  as  "commanding  in  Maryland,"  with 
the  new  sub-title  of  "  Split  Log's  Brother." 

The  superscription  upon  the  letter  cited  indicates  that  it  was 
addressed  to  the  "  5th  Major-General."  The  5th  Major-General 
was  John  M.  Byrns,  Minowakinton,  or  "  Iron  Stone."  It  is 
claimed  that  there  would  be  less  likelihood  of  confusion  of  rank 
than  a  confusion  of  names,  as  the  name  held  by  one  brother,  as 
we  have  already  seen,  was  frequently  transferred  to  another 
upon  the  death  of  the  original  holder,  or  upon  the  occasion  of 
his  severing  his  connection  with  the  Society.  From  all  these 
data,  it  is  claimed  that  Richard  Marley  could  not  have  organized 
a  Tribe  in  Maryland  in  1820,  four  years  before  his  admission  to 
the  Society,  as  recorded  on  page  209  of  the  Minute  Book. 

Among  other  names  given  in  connection  with  the  Order  in 
Baltimore,  at  different  dates,  are  Dr.  Matthias  Lopez,  Captain 
Jacob  Warner,  Jacob  Winn,  John  Flaherty,  "  Light  Stick," 
"Little  Wasp,"  "Wolf  Rapid,"  John  Braceland,  "Bald  Eagle's 
Eye,"  Benjamin  Vantassel,  David  Sweetman,  Captain  Moore, 


ORGANIZATION  AT  BALTIMORE.  273 

I) 

"Iron  Face,"  and  Jacob  Johnston.  These  are  the  only  names 
appearing  on  the  Muster  Roll  and  records  in  connection  with 
Maryland.  Where  the  records  give  the  real  name  of  the 
brother,  we  have  quoted  it ;  and  where  the  real  name  is  not 
given,  we  have  quoted  the  title  by  which  he  was  designated 
on  the  Roll.  On  information  said  to  have  been  furnished  by 
Richard  Marley,  it  is  stated  that  the  Tribe  already  established 
at  Baltimore  in  1820  continued  in  operation  until  about  the 
year  1824,  when  it  became  dormant.  In  1829,  an  effort  was 
made  to  revive  it,  under  the  direction  of  Richard  Marley,  3d 
Major-General,  and  was  successful  to  the  extent  that  the  Tribe 
attained  a  membership  of  about  150.  It  continued  to  exist  for 
a  period  of  three  or  four  years,  with  alternating  success  and 
depression,  until  it  finally  expired. 

In  1833,  William  Muirhead,  whose  name  in  the  Society  of 
Red  Men  was  Withea  of  Missouri,  or  "  Hospitality,"  resided 
in  Baltimore.  This  fact  is  stated  upon  the  authority  of  Past 
Great  Incohonee  Richard  Marley,  who  also  is  quoted  as  the 
authority  for  the  statement  that  William  Muirhead  established 
the  Society  in  Baltimore  in  the  year  1833.  It  is  alleged  that 
this  statement  was  confirmed  by  Thomas  J.  Loudenslager,  of 
Philadelphia,  in  1866.  It  will  be  remembered  that  the  latter 
gentleman  was  admitted  in  1824,  and  was  the  last  Grand 
Recording  Scribe  when  the  Society  in  Philadelphia  ceased 
operations.  The  statement  attributed  to  him  is  that  William 
Muirhead  "held  the  commission  of  Brigadier-General  under 
George  Knorr,  the  second  Generalissimo  of  the  Society,  and 
that  he  had  gone  to  Baltimore,  and  established  the  Society 
there  in  1833  or  I^34."  A  further  verification  of  this  fact  is 
given  by  manuscripts  furnished  by  the  late  John  L.  Booker, 
who  was  Great  Chief  of  Records  of  the  Great  Council  of  Mary- 
land, and  Great  Chief  of  Records  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States. 

William  Muirhead  must  have  joined  between  the  years  of 
1818  and  1821.  His  name  is  not  on  the  old  Account  Book 
of  1816,  and  the  first  mention  of  his  name  is  upon  manuscript 
minutes  dated  November  7,  1821.  He  had  attained  the  rank 
of  Brigadier-General  and  aid  to  the  Generalissimo.  He  was  an 
active  and  earnest  member  of  the  Order,  and  was  for  many 


274  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

years  proprietor  of  a  well-known  house  of  public  entertainment 
in  Bank  Street  (opposite  Elbow  Lane),  between  Chestnut  and 
Market  streets.  It  is  known  by  the  sign  of  Robert  Burns. 

Whatever  weakness  may  have  been  assigned  to  William 
Muirhead  in  the  latter  days  of  his  life,  common  justice  requires 
that  proper  tribute  should  be  rendered  to  his  faithful  services 
to  the  Society  of  Red  Men  from  the  time  of  his  being  admitted 
until  the  establishment  of  the  Tribe  at  Baltimore,  out  of  which 
grew  the  first  Tribe  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

It  is  stated  that  Muirhead,  having  established  himself  per- 
manently in  Baltimore,  with  the  assistance  of  his  son  Robert, 
began  to  get  together  a  sufficient  number  of  former  brothers  of 
the  Tribes  to  revive  the  Society  in  that  city,  and  that  on  March 
12,  1834,  "his  purpose  was  fully  accomplished  by  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Society  of  Red  Men,  Tribe  of  Maryland,  No.  I,  at 
the  house  of  D.  McDonald  on  Bond  Street,  Fell's  Point." 

About  this  time  the  name  of  William  T.  Jones  appears  in 
connection  with  the  Order,  and  he  was  an  able  and  willing 
assistant  to  Muirhead  in  his  work  of  organizing  the  above-named 
Tribe.  He  is  described  as  a  respectable  citizen  of  Fell's  Point, 
where  for  many  years  he  carried  on  the  business  of  a  shipping 
master,  in  which  occupation  he  won  the  respect  particularly  of 
the  seamen,  and  when  he  became  a  Red  Man  he  was  given  the 
title  of  "  Seaman's  Friend."  John  F.  Weishampel,  Sr.,  of 
Lancaster,  Pa.,  is  quoted  as  additional  authority  for  the  fact  of 
the  organization  of  the  Tribe  above  mentioned,  and  we  have 
already  quoted  from  his  address  in  1837  concerning  the  events 
leading  up  to  the  withdrawal  of  himself  and  others  to  whom,  as 
he  alleged,  the  associations  were  distasteful.  In  the  same  ad- 
dress he  makes  a  further  statement  as  follows  :  — 

"Some  time  after,  in  the  grand  sun  of  1834,  Mr.  William  T.  Jones  proposed 
to  a  number  of  his  friends,  some  of  whom  had  belonged  to  the  lodge  of  Red 
Men  just  mentioned,  to  organize  a  new  Tribe  of  Red  Men,  upon  the  principle 
of  a  Beneficial  Order;  and  soon  a  number  joined  him  in  the  enterprise,  and 
'  Logan  Tribe,  No.  I,  of  Red  Men '  was  formed.  At  what  time  in  the  grand 
sun  I  do  not  distinctly  remember.  But  it  did  not  go  long  until  they  found 
that  the  convivial  character  of  the  old  lodge  had  unjustly  attached  itself  to 
the  new  Order,  and  that  on  that  account  many  persons  refused  to  join  it.  It 
was  then  agreed  upon  that  we  would  change  the  name.  And  to  kill  the  pre- 
vailing prejudice,  it  was  proposed  by  one  member  to  lay  aside  the  name  k  Red 


ORGANIZATION  AT  BALTIMORE.  275 

Men'  and  adopt  the  cognomen  of  'Aborigines1  (the  original  inhabitants). 
But  one  old  man,  Peter  B.  Lucas,  who  had  a  little  impediment  in  his  speech, 
objected  to  that,  'for,1  said  he,  'I  can't  say  Abborigdegenerees.'  The  name 
'Order  of  Improved  Red  Men'  was  then  proposed  and  adopted.  At  the 
next  council  fire  J.  F.  Weishampel,  Sr.,  proposed  to  reconsider  the  former 
action  upon  the  name,  and  to  place  the  qualifying  term  'Improved'  upon  the 
Order,  instead  of  upon  the  members,  and  so  suggested  the  transposition  to 
'  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men.' " 

Mr.  Weishampel,  in  the  document  from  which  this  quotation 
is  made,  states  that  Mr.  William  T.  Jones  was  the  founder  of  the 
Order,  and  that  the  organization  was  effected  in  his  house,  and 
that  he  was  also  the  first  Sachem  of  Logan  Tribe,  and  that 
during  his  term  of  service  as  Sachem  he  himself  (Weishampel) 
was  initiated.  Mr.  Weishampel  also  recalls  among  the  members 
at  that  time  the  names  given  on  page  146,  as  among  the  mem- 
bers of  Logan  Tribe. 

(We  have  already  referred  to  the  convivial  element  prominent 
in  the  organization,  and  shown  it  was  no  more  applicable  to  the 
Society  of  Red  Men  than  the  kindred  Societies  of  that  time. 
While  the  members  as  individuals  may  have  passed  the  "de- 
canter" too  frequently,  yet  this  was  not  done  during  the  burn- 
ing of  the  council  fire,  but  when  all  the  regular  business  had 
been  concluded.) 

In  the  pamphlet  of  Mr.  Weishampel,  from  which  these  quota- 
tions have  been  made,  is  contained  an  address  delivered  on  St. 
Tammany's  Day,  May  12,  1837,  to  which  fuller  reference  is 
necessary  later.  In  the  concluding  portion  of  this  address,  after 
referring  to  the  fact  that  the  Order  was  a  beneficial  society,  he 
uses  these  significant  words  :  — 

"  I  am  not  prepared  to  say  how  much  wampum  has  been  paid  out  for  chari- 
table purposes  since  the  organization  of  our  young  Order,  of  but  three  years' 
existence.  '  The  number  of  members  is  about  250.  Many  of  us  have  dear 
paleface  squaws  and  papooses,  and  these,  when  we  are  dead,  will  share",  as  a 
matter  of  right,  all  the  advantages,  rights,  and  benefits  which  are  secured  to 
them  by  its  organic  laws.  And  let  me  add,  that  before  a  half-hundred  grand 
suns  have  rolled  round,  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  will  most  likely  have 
extended  to  all  the  States  and  Territories  of  our  great  country,  and  then  come 
back  to  Maryland  and  hold  a  semi-centennial  celebration  in  Baltimore,  where 
the  Order  was  organized  in  the  grand  sun  1834,  in  a  wigwam  on  Thames 
Street,  Fell's  Point." 


276  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

As  additional  evidence  of  the  existence  of  the  Tribe  estab- 
lished by  William  Muirhead,  reference  is  made  to  a  code  of 
laws  adopted  by  the  "  Red  Men's  Society,  Tribe  of  Maryland, 
No.  I."  The  motto  upon  these  By-Laws  was,  "True  religion 
and  brotherly  love  is  this :  to  visit  and  assist  the  widows  and 
fatherless  in  affliction,  and  to  keep  one's  self  unspotted  from 
the  world."  Surely  no  organization  could  have  foundation  on 
a  purer  or  more  lofty  sentiment  than  is  contained  in  this  motto. 

The  Preamble  stated  that  the  members  united  themselves 
"for  mutual  benefit."  Article  i  declares  that  "the  name,  style 
or  title  of  this  Order  shall  be  '  The  Red  Men  of  the  Tribe  of 
Maryland,  No.  I.'  "  Then  follow  twenty-two  articles,  defining 
the  machinery  by  which  the  Society  should  be  managed.  With- 
out giving  these  articles  in  detail,  we  will  refer  to  the  points 
covered  by  them.  Meetings  were  to  take  place  every  Monday 
at  7  o'clock  in  winter  and  8  o'clock  in  summer.  Five  brothers 
constituted  a  quorum.  There  were  five  officers,  Generalissimo, 
First  Captain-General,  Second  Captain-General,  Treasurer,  and 
Recording  Scribe,  and  the  Generalissimo  was  given  power  to 
appoint  two  Major-Generals,  four  aids,  three  warriors,  and  a 
Grand  Recording  Scribe.  The  first  Captain-General  had  power 
to  appoint  two  aids,  and  the  Second  Captain-General  one  aid. 
The  term  of  office  was  three  months.  The  Generalissimo  pre- 
sided, assisted  by  the  two  Captain-Generals.  The  duties  of  the 
Recording  Scribe  and  Treasurer  were  those  usually  performed 
by  such  officers.  The  initiation  fee  was  one  dollar,  and  no 
person  was  eligible  under  21  or  over  45  years  of  age.  The 
dues  were  twenty-five  cents  a  month.  Applications  for  mem- 
bership were  required  to  be  in  writing,  countersigned  by  a 
brother,  and  accompanied  by  one-half  of  the  initiation  fee.  The 
application  was  referred  to  a  committee  to  make  necessary 
inquiries,  and  at  its  report  a  ballot  was  had,  and  one-third  of  the 
ballots  being  opposed  the  applicant  was  rejected.  The  members 
became  beneficial  in  twelve  months,  and  were  then  entitled  to 
receive  three  dollars  per  week  during  disability,  provided  appli- 
cation was  made  to  the  proper  officer  and  his  dues  were  paid. 
"  ft,  however,  his  indisposition  seemed  to  have  originated  from 
immoral  conduct,  his  benefit  shall  be  withheld  until  his  case  be 
investigated  and  laid  before  the  Council."  Provision  was  made 


ORGANIZATION  AT  BALTIMORE. 


277 


for  paying  benefits  to  distant  members  on  the  testimony  of  a 
physician  or  two  respectable  witnesses.  In  case  of  death,  the 
elective  officers  had  power  to  allow  twenty  dollars  to  defray  the 
funeral  expenses,  the  money  to  be  paid  to  the  widow  or  nearest 
relative.  The  fund  for  this  purpose  was  provided  by  assessing 
each  brother  twenty-five  cents.  Provision  was  made  for  suspen- 
sion for  non-payment  of  fines,  and  any  member  in  arrears  for 
thirteen  weeks  forfeited  his  benefits.  Article  22  provided  that 
"any  member  being  guilty  of  immoral  conduct  whereby  the 
Society  may  be  disgraced,  attempting  to  impose  on  it,  or 
divulge  the  secrets  of  the  Order,  may  be  suspended  or  expelled 
as  the  Council  may  think  proper." 

The  "  By-Laws  "  were  more  properly  rules  of  order  governing 
debate,  although  among  them  were  several  important  general 
regulations.  Among  other  provisions  was  one  fixing  a  penalty 
of  fifty  cents  upon  any  member  who  introduced  a  political  or 
religious  dispute.  Section  18  was  significant  inasmuch  as  it 
provided  that  "  every  Ancient  Red  Man,  applying  to  become  a 
member  of  this  council  fire,  shall  send  a  written  application  by 
a  brother,  etc."  On  the  death  of  a  brother  it  was  provided 
that  each  member  should  attend  his  funeral  and  furnish  himself 
with  a  badge  of  red  ribbon,  with  appropriate  inscription,  to 
wear  on  the  left  breast. 

The  constitution,  from  which  the  above  extracts  are  taken, 
was  printed  by  R.  J.  Matchet,  Baltimore,  in  the  year  1835, 
about  one  year  subsequent  to  the  alleged  organization  of  the 
Tribe. 

Section  18  of  the  By-Laws,  in  its  reference  to  "  Ancient  Red 
Men,"  is  cited  as  a  verbal  acknowledgment  of  the  existence  of 
the  former  organization  bearing  the  name  of  Red  Men,  and 
having  similar  features,  and  avowing  the  same  general  principles 
of  which  the  Tribe  of  Maryland  was  the  successor.  Attached 
to  this  constitution  were  printed  forty-five  names,  and  among 
these  may  be  mentioned  John  Buckingham,  Stephen  Burgess, 
George  Fastaff  (Fastie  ?),  William  T.  Jones,  Peter  B.  Lucas, 
William  Muirhead,  and  George  A.  Peter.  Two  of  the  members, 
named  John  Buckingham,  "  Gannynipper,"  and  William  Muir- 
head, "  Hospitality,"  had  been  members  of  the  Society  of  Red 
Men  in  Philadelphia. 


278  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Following  the  organization  of  this  Tribe,  it  is  claimed  on  the 
authority  of  the  manuscript  records  of  the  Great  Council  of 
Maryland,  that  early  in  the  year  1835,  the  members  of  Maryland 
Tribe,  No.  I.,  took  the  necessary  preliminary  steps  towards 
"lengthening  the  chain  of  friendship,"  and  establishing  a 
supreme  authority  for  the  Order.  Six  delegates  were  chosen 
by  the  Tribe  and  given  ample  power  for  the  purpose.  Three 
of  these  were  Past  Chiefs,  and  three  others  were  Representa- 
tives The  Past  Chiefs  were  William  T.  Jones,  William  Muir- 
head,  and  Charles  Skillman,  and  the  Representatives  were 
George  A.  Peter,  Captain  Joseph  Branson,  and  Edward  Lucas. 
The  account  from  which  this  is  taken  goes  on  to  state  that  "  on 
the  2Oth  day  of  the  5th  moon  in  the  season  of  Blossoms,  1835," 
the  Past  Chiefs  and  Representatives  just  named  assembled  in 
the  "  old  wigwam  "  on  Thames  Street,  Fell's  Point,  in  pursu- 
ance of  their  appointment,  when  Past  Chief  "  Seaman's  Friend," 
William  T.  Jones,  was  called  to  the  chair;  "Links  of  Union," 
George  A.  Peter,  was  appointed  Scribe,  and  "Cock  of  the 
Walk,"  Joseph  Branson,  took  the  Sagamore's  seat.  At  a  subse- 
quent meeting  an  election  was  held,  which  resulted  in  the 
choice  of  "  Seaman's  Friend,"  William  T.  Jones,  for  Grand 
Sachem  ;  "  Hospitality,"  William  Muirhead,  Grand  Senior  Saga- 
more ;  "  True  Verdict,"  Edward  Lucas,  Grand  Junior  Sagamore ; 
"Cock  of  the  Walk,"  Joseph  Branson,  Grand  Prophet ;  "Links 
of  Union,"  George  A.  Peter,  Grand  Scribe;  "True  Verdict," 
Edward  Lucas,  was  also  elected  Grand  Chief  of  Wampum,  and 
"Camel's  Hair,"  Charles  Skillman,  was  appointed  Grand  Guard 
of  Wigwam. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  .Grand  Council,  held  May  25,  1835,  a 
resolution  was  adopted  declaring  the  supremacy  of  the  Grand 
Council,  and  providing  for  the  punishment  of  brothers  who 
might  attempt  to  set  up  an  opposition  Council. 

(It  must  be  remembered  that  at  this  time  the  Tribe  at 
Reading  was  in  existence,  and  continued  so  as  late  as  the  year 
1850,  although  it  is  fair  to  presume  that  Brother  Muirhead  was 
unable  to  secure  communication  with  the  Reading  Tribe,  and 
hence  presumed  that  it  became  defunct  like  the  mother 
Tribe  at  Philadelphia.  Otherwise  there  would  have  been 
good  ground  to  dispute  the  legitimacy  of  the  assumption 


ORGANIZATION  AT  BALTIMORE.  279 

of  supreme  authority  by 'the  Grand  Council  formed  in  Mary- 
land.) 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Grand  Council,  held  May  28,  1835,  "  Cock 
of  the  Walk,"  Captain  Joseph  Branson,  presented  a  constitution 
which  was  slightly  amended  and  adopted.  At  a  special  council 
convened  June  6,  a  new  form  of  initiation  was  presented  by 
Brother  "  Camel's  Hair,"  Charles  Skillman,  which  was  referred 
to  a  committee  which  reported  June  12,  when  the  form  was 
adopted,  and  on  the  i8th  of  the  same  month  all  the  members 
present  at  said  meeting  received  the  "  Grand  Council  Degree  " 
after  which  they  were  instructed  in  the  "  First  Degree  of  the 
Society." 

June  10,  1835,  a  council  was  held  at  the  usual  place,  and  an 
application  was  received  from  Brothers  Samuel  Reed,  Samuel 
Armer,  William  Rods,  Robert  Farrell,  John  A.  Lockwood,  John 
A.  Smith,  D.  H.  Harmon,  F.  W.  R.  Broaders,  James  G.  McGib- 
bon,  Thomas  Towson,  and  Robert  McClelland  for  dispensation 
to  open  a  second  Tribe  to  be  styled  Metamora  Tribe,  No.  2,  and 
on  June  22,  1835,  the  Grand  Chiefs  instituted  Metamora  Tribe, 
No.  2,  at  the  house  of  Brother  F.  W.  R.  Broaders  in  Pratt 
Street. 

Mention  is  now  made  of  the  unfortunate  circumstances  which 
resulted  finally  in  the  extinction  of  Tribe  of  Maryland,  No.  I. 
Accounts  differ  as  to  what  these  circumstances  were,  but  the 
inference  is  given  that  with  some  members  the  social  features 
of  the  Society  too  frequently  degenerated  into  excesses.  By 
reason  of  this,  William  T.  Jones,  Peter  R.  Hilditch,  George 
A.  Peter,  John  Miller,  George  Fastie,  Jones  Friedewald,  Giles 
Harkiness,  John  Hugget,  and  others  withdrew  and  petitioned 
the  Grand  Council  of  Maryland  for  a  dispensation  to  open  a 
new  Tribe.  It  is  asserted  that  they  were  tenacious  to  retain 
their  numerical  position  and  post  of  honor  in  the  Order,  and 
that  the  Grand  Council,  yielding  to  their  wish,  granted  the 
dispensation,  naming  them  "  Logan  Tribe,  No.  I."  Under  this 
title  they  were  instituted  by  the  Grand  Chiefs,  May  12,  1836,  as 
is  shown  by  a  reprint  of  said  charter.  (Assuming  the  correct- 
ness of  this  claim,  the  Tribe  should  have  been  No.  3,  instead  of 
No.  i.) 

The  authority  from  which  we  are  quoting  claims  "that  the 


280  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Tribe  of  Maryland  was  not  in  existence  in  the  year  1833,  but 
was  organized  March  12,  1834;  second,  that  George  A.  Peter 
was  not  admitted  to  membership  in  said  Tribe  until  May  19, 
1834,  as  shown  by  the  Booker  manuscript  (a  copy  of  which  is 
in  the  possession  of  the  editor) ;  third,  that  Logan  Tribe,  which 
was  formed  by  the  withdrawing  members  of  the  Tribe  of  Mary- 
land, was  not  organized  until  May  12,  1836,  as  shown  by  its 
charter  ;  fourth,  that  the  Grand  Council  of  Maryland  was  organ- 
ized at  the  '  old  wigwam  '  in  Thames  Street,  Fell's  Point,  May 
20,  1835  ;  that,  inasmuch  as  the  Grand  Council  of  Maryland  has 
never  ceased  to  exist  down  to  the  present  time,  but  has  created 
by  its  dispensation,  or  charter,  every  Tribe  in  Maryland  since 
its  own  organization,  and  derives  its  own  existence  from  and 
through  the  delegates  of  the  old  Tribe  of  Maryland,  No.  i, 
which  Tribe  existed  by  authority  of  the  mother  Tribe  at  Phila- 
delphia, by  which  the  commission  to  institute  it  was  issued,  the 
Grand  Council  of  Maryland,  by  reason  of  the  failure  of  the 
Reading  Tribe  to  assert  its  right  to  priority,  is  the  only  true 
and  legitimate  successor  to  the  authority  and  rights  of  the 
'  old '  Society  of  Red  Men,  which  title,  by  virtue  of  its  sover- 
eign power,  it  changed  to  'The  Order  of  Improved  Red  Men' 
and  exercised  supreme  authority  over  the  Order,  until  the 
organization  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States." 

The  same  authority,  and  for  the  same  reasons  given,  disputes 
the  claim  that  George  A.  Peter,  afterwards  Great  Incohonee  of 
the  G.  C.  U.  S.  "was  the  brother  who  first  gave  the  name 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  to  our  Order."  How  that  name 
was  adopted  appears  in  the  preceding  chapter. 

It  is  claimed  on  the  authority  of  John  F.  Weishampel,  Sr., 
that  William  T.  Jones  was  the  founder  and  first  Sachem  of  the 
Order. 


•. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

GREAT    COUNCIL    OF    UNITED    STATES    (1847-1880). 

WITH  this  chapter  begins  the  record  of  the  Great  Council  of 
the  United  States,  from  the  preliminary  organization  down  to 
the  last  council  held  up  to  the  time  this  history  is  written. 

An  interest  necessarily  attaches  to  all  the  early  incidents 
attending  the  organization,  and  to  the  individuals  who  associated 
themselves  together  for  that  purpose. 

On  the  "  ist  sleep  of  the  5th  seven  suns  of  Cold  moon,  5607," 
which  in  the  common  era  corresponds  to  Monday,  January  30, 
1847,  a  meeting  was  held  at  Uncas  Wigwam,  Baltimore,  in 
accordance  with  a  resolution  previously  adopted  by  the  Great 
Council  of  Maryland.  At  this  meeting  were  present  Past  Grand 
Sachems  George  Fastie,  Louis  Bonsai,  John  Meiser,  James 
Purden,  Gustav  Otto,  and  William  G.  Gorsuch.  Other  repre- 
sentatives admitted  were  as  follows  :  Grand  Sachem  John  L. 
Booker  ;  Grand  Junior  Sagamore  J.  Thomas  Laws  ;  Past  Sachem 
Charles  Tydings ;  Past  Sachems  Stephen  Burgess,  of  Logan 
Tribe,  No.  i  ;  William  H.  Ford,  of  Pocahontas,  No.  3  ;  —  Half- 
penny, of  Powhattan  Tribe,  No.  5 ;  William  Somerville,  of 
Uncas,  No.  6 ;  J.  Muhlhoffer,  of  Philip,  No.  8. 

Past  Grand  Sachem  Fastie  was  chosen  Chairman,  and  Grand 
Sachem  Booker,  Secretary. 

The  chairman  stated  that  the  object  of  the  meeting  was  the 
institution  of  a  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

Past  Grand  Sachems  Gorsuch,  Bonsai,  Meiser,  and  Otto  and 
Representative  Halfpenny  were  appointed  a  committee  to  draft 
a  Constitution,  By- Laws,  and  Rules  of  the  Order  for  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Great  Council,  and  also  a  form  of  prayer.  A  com- 
mittee was  appointed  to  procure  a  room  for  the  meetings  of  the 
body,  and  the  council  fire  was  quenched  to  meet  on  the  ist 
sleep,  2d  seven  suns,  Snow  moon. 

281 


282  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Pursuant  to  this  the  Great  Council  again  assembled  at  Uncas 
Wigwam. 

The  Representative  of  Metamora  Tribe,  No.  4,  was  admitted. 

The  committee  on  the  meeting  place  for  the  Great  Council 
reported  that  Uncas  Wigwam  could  be  obtained,  and  it  was 
voted  that  the  meetings  be  held  at  that  place  until  further 
orders.  The  Committee  on  Constitution  made  its  report,  which 
was  considered  and  part  of  it  was  adopted.  An  adjournment 
was  then  made  for  one  seven  suns.  At  this  adjournment  the 
Constitution  was  further  considered,  and  the  council  fire  was 
quenched  until  the  ist  sleep  of  the  ist  seven  suns  of  Worm 
moon.  At  this  meeting  the  remainder  of  the  Constitution  was 
adopted.  By-Laws,  Rules  of  the  Order,  and  a  Prayer  were 
adopted,  and  it  was  then  voted  to  nominate  chiefs  for  the  ensu- 
ing grand  sun.  The  election  was  deferred  until  the  ist  sleep  of 
the  3d  seven  suns  of  Worm  moon.  The  acting  Keeper  of 
Records  was  directed  to  notify  the  Great  Council  of  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  and  also  the  Tribe  at  Cumberland,  of  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  Great  Council. 

At  the  council  held  on  the  ist  sleep,  3d  seven  suns,  Worm 
moon,  Grand  Junior  Sagamore  Z.  K.  Offutt  and  Past  Sachems 
Joseph  Mundell  and  Y.  P.  Page  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 
District  of  Columbia,  and  James  Nokes  of  Anacostia  Tribe,  No. 
3,  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  were  admitted  as  Representatives. 

The  election  of  chiefs  was  then  held,  which  resulted  in  the 
following  choice,  being  the  first  chiefs  recorded  of  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States  :  — •  ' 

Grand  Sachem  Incohonee WILLIAM  G.  GORSUCH. 

Grand  Sagamore    .     , GUSTAV  OTTO. 

Grand  Prophet Z.  K.  OFFUTT. 

Grand  Keeper  of  Records JOHN  L.  BOOKER. 

Grand  Keeper  of  Wampum STEPHEN  BURGESS. 

Grand  Tocakon WILLIAM  H.  FORD. 

Grand  Minewa J.  MUHLHOFFER. 

They  were  duly  raised  up  to  their  respective  positions  by 
Past  Grand  Sachem  Meiser. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  titles  adopted  differed  slightly 
from  those  now  in  use.  The  word  "grand,"  as  will  subse- 
quently appear,  was  afterwards  changed  to  "great."  We  have 


WILLIAM    G.   GORSUCH,    FIRST   GREAT   INCOHONEE. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED)  STATES.  283 

thought  it  best  to  follow  the  usage  of  the  Great  Council  until 
the  date  of  the  change,  in  order  to  preserve  the  chronology  and 
nomenclature. 

At  this  council  measures  were  taken  to  supply  the  necessary 
funds  for  carrying  on  the  work  of  the  Great  Council,  and  it  was 
voted  to  adopt  certain  unwritten  language  and  to  procure  a  seal 
for  the  Great  Council. 

The  Great  Council  met  again  on  the  ist  sleep  of  the  ist  seven 
suns,  Plant  moon.  G.  S.  Incohonee  Gorsuch  presided.  At  this 
council  a  communication  was  received  from  Shawnee  Tribe,  No. 
5  (now  No.  2),  of  Winchester,  Virginia.  This  is  the  first  men- 
tion of  that  State  in  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  records. 

A  committee  of  three  was  appointed  to  revise  the  work  of  the 
Order. 

Arrangements  were  made  for  supplying  State  Great  Councils 
and  each  Tribe  and  Representative  with  copies  of  the  printed 
matter  issued  by  the  Great  Council,  and  also  to  provide  for  a 
revenue  through  the  sale  of  visiting  cards  and  the  like. 

The  next  council  was  held  on  the  ist  sleep  of  the  4th  seven 
suns,  Flower  moon,  G.  S.  Incohonee  Gorsuch  presiding. 

At  this  council  Representatives  were  admitted  from  Powhattan 
Tribe,  No.  I,  of  Washington,  D.C.,  and  Osceola  Tribe,  No.  2, 
of  Alexandria,  D.C.  (When  Alexandria  was  set  off  from  the 
District  of  Columbia,  and  became  a  part  of  the  State  of  Virginia, 
Osceola  Tribe,  No.  2,  then  became  No.  I  of  that  reservation.) 

The  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  asserted  its  su- 
premacy to  the  extent  of  ordering  that  the  name  of  the  Great 
Council,  State  of  Maryland,  be  stricken  out  of  all  obligations 
used  by  this  body,  and  Great  Council  of  the  United  States 
inserted  in  lieu  thereof  until  the  committee  on  revision  was 
prepared  to  report. 

A  petition  was  received  from  Osceola,  Shawnee,  and  Mohawk 
Tribes  asking  that  permission  be  given  and  a  charter  granted  to 
organize  a  Great  Council  in  the  State  of  Virginia,  to  be  located 
at  Winchester,  Frederick  County,  and  the  prayer  of  the  peti- 
tioners was  granted. 

The  next  council  was  not  held  until  the  ist  sleep  of  the  3d 
seven  suns,  of  Buck  moon,  5607,  when  the  Great  Council  was 
called  to  order  by  G.  S.  Incohonee  Gorsuch.  Past  Sachem 


284  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

John  Fry  of  Tecumseh  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Pennsylvania,  was  ad- 
mitted as  a  Representative.  Brother  Fry  was  the  father  of  the 
present  (1892)  Great  Sachem  of  the  reservation  of  Pennsylvania. 
This  is  the  first  representation  in  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  from  the 
reservation  of  Pennsylvania,  and  marks  the  beginning  of  what 
is  now  the  most  numerous  branch  of  our  Order. 

The  committee  on  revision  appointed  in  Flower  moon,  re- 
ported an  initiatory  ceremony,  which  was  adopted.  They  also 
reported  a  form  of  charter  for  State  Great  Councils  and  Tribes, 
which  was  adopted. 

At  this  council  permission  was  given  to  Tecumseh  Tribe,  No. 
i,  of  Pennsylvania,  to  initiate  palefaces  at  the  rate  of  three 
fathoms,  two  yards  of  wampum,  for  the  space  of  one  moon. 
This  being  translated  means  $5  each. 

The  next  council  was  held  at  Metamora  Wigwam  on  the  4th 
Monday  of  Sturgeon  moon,  5607.  At  this  council  two  Repre- 
sentatives of  Virginia  were  admitted  who  afterwards  left  the 
imprint  of  their  genius  upon  the  records  of  their  Great  Coun- 
cil, as  well  as  on  those  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States.  One  of  these  was  Past  Sachem  C.  A.  B.  Coffroth,  and 
the  other,  Past  Grand  Sachem  Hugh  Latham,  afterwards  Great 
Incohonee  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States. 

The  question  of  a  higher  branch  of  the  Order  seems  to  have 
even  then  been  considered  by  many  of  the  members,  because  at 
this  council  a  petition  was  presented,  which,  after  considerable 
debate,  was  laid  on  the  table,  asking  the  Great  Council  to  estab- 
lish a  higher  degree  into  which  should  be  admitted  only  brothers 
who  had  received  all  of  the  degrees  of  the  Tribe. 

This  desire  has  manifested  itself  from  time  to  time  at  various 
succeeding  councils  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  The  establishment  of 
Beneficial  Degree  Councils  and  the  Chieftains'  League  are  in- 
dications of  it,  as  well  as  the  agitation  to  have  all  the  work  of 
the  Order  in  Tribes  done  in  the  Chief's  degree. 

O 

The  records  indicate  that  the  business  of  the  Great  Council 
was  not  concluded  at  one  council,  and  that  not  only  evening  but 
day  sessions  were  held  during  that  same  seven  suns. 

At  the  subsequent  councils  among  the  business  transacted 
was  the  adpption  of  the  report  of  the  committee  on  revision,  in 
relation  to  the  ceremonies  of  the  degrees,  and  a  form  of  kindling 


GREAT   COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.          285 

and  quenching  fires  ;  also  the  appointment  of  a  committee  for 
the  selection  of  a  suitable  ode,  to  be  used  at  the  kindling  of  the 
council  fire. 

At  this  council  Philip  Tribe,  of  Washington,  withdrew  its 
Representative,  the  reason  being  that  he  was  "found  asleep  in 
the  council."  Evfdently  the  Tribe  believed  that  a  Red  Man 
when  on  duty  should  never  sleep. 

A  form  of  raising  up  chiefs  was  adopted,  as  were  also  amend- 
ments to  the  Constitution,  By-Laws,  and  Rules  of  Order.  At 
this  council  also  the  sum  of  $25  was  appropriated  as  compen- 
sation for  the  Grand  Keeper  of  Records.  Arrangements  were 
made  for  translating  and  printing  the  ritual  in  the  German 
language,  and  a  committee  was  chosen  to  carry  the  vote  into 
effect. 

Up  to  this  time  the  councils  of  the  Great  Council  had  been 
held  in  the  hunting  grounds  of  Baltimore,  but  it  was  decided 
that  the  next  council  fire  should  be  kindled  in  the  hunting 
grounds  of  Washington,  D.C. 

The  record  thus  far  considered  is  made  up  from  fragmentary 
portions  that  were  collected  many  great  suns  ago,  and  put  into 
permanent  form,  as  covering  the  period  of  the  preliminary 
organization  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

Commencing  with  the  council  held  at  Washington  in  grand 
sun  5608  (1848),  we  enter  upon  the  more  formal  period  of  the 
history  of  the  Great  Council.  Either  more  attention  was  paid 
to  the  keeping  of  records,  or  more  care  exercised  in  preserving 
them,  because  there  are  no  omissions  from  that  time  to  the 
present. 

1848. 

The  council  fire  was  kindled  on  the  26th  of  Plant  moon, 
5608,  in  the  wigwam  of  Powhattan  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Wash- 
ington, D.C.,  the  Worthy  Grand  Sachem  Incohonee  Gorsuch 
presiding. 

The  longtalk  of  W.  G.  S.  Incohonee  Gorsuch  reported  that 
the  spread  of  the  Order  had  been  steady  and  progressive.  Dur- 
ing the  grand  sun  five  Tribes  had  been  instituted,  all  in  a 
flourishing  condition.  These  Tribes  were  Tecumseh,  No.  I,  of 
Norristown,  Metamora,  No.  2,  of  Lancaster,  Leni  Lenape, 


286  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED   MEN. 

No.  3,  of  Philadelphia,  and  Kuequenaku,  No.  4,  of  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  and  Delaware,  No.  i,  of  Washington,  Del. 

He  reported  the  Order  in  Maryland  in  a  prosperous  condition. 

Virginia  was  also  commended  for  the  progress  made. 

Charters  were  granted  to  the  Tribes  which  had  been  instituted 
during  the  grand  sun. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  procure  regalia  for  the  chiefs. 

On  a  ruling  of  the  W.  G.  S.  Incohonee,  the  Great  Council 
refused  to  receive  a  communication  from  a  Tribe,  on  the  ground 
that  the  same  should  come  through  the  Great  Council  of  the 
State,  thus  establishing  the  power  of  the  State  Great  Council. 

The  Great  Council  declined  to  approve  a  provision  in  a  code 
of  laws  submitted  from  Metamora  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  Pennsylvania, 
which  sought  to  provide  that  "no  soldier  of  a  standing  army, 
seaman,  or  mariner,  shall  be  admitted  to  membership,  and  should 
any  member  voluntarily  enlist  as  a  soldier,  or  enter  on  board  any 
vessel  as  a  seaman  or  mariner,  he  shall  thenceforth  lose  his  mem- 
bership." 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  a  form  for  the  Raising 
up  of  chiefs  for  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  Great  Council  then  went  into  an  election  of  great  chiefs 
for  the  ensuing  grand  sun,  the  result  being  as  follows  :  — 

W.  G.  S.  Incohonee,  HUGH  LATHAM,  P.  G.  S.,  Alexandria,  Va. 

W.  G.  Sagamore,  E.  L.  THOMAS,  P.  S.,  Cumberland,  Md. 

W.  G.  Prophet,  JAMES  PURDEN,  P.  G.  S.,  Baltimore.  .Md. 

W.  G.  Keeper  of  Records,  JOHN  L.'  BOOKER,  P.  G.  S., 

W.  Q.  Keeper  of  Wampum,  STEPHEN  BURGESS,  P.  S.,  " 

W.  G.  Tocakon,  ROBERT  HAMILTON,  P.  S.,  " 

W.  G.  Minewa,  WM.  B.  ENTWISLE,  P.  S.,  " 

It  was  unanimously  resolved  that  the  future  councils  be  held 
in  the  city  of  Baltimore. 

The  Committee  on  Regalia  made  a  report  which  was  adopted, 
that  the  regalia  for  members  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  be  a  scarlet 
collar  trimmed  with  gold  lace,  and  fixed  thereto  with  gold  cord, 
the  letters  "  U.  S.  G.  C."  meaning  the  United  States  Great 
Council. 

The  grand  chiefs  whose  election  was  recorded  above  were 
raised  up  to  their  respective  positions. 

Appended  to   the  records  is  the  first  report  of  the  Grand 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.  287 

Keeper  of  Records,  giving  statistical  information  concerning  the 
Order.  By  this  report  there  were  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
G.  C.  U.  S.  the  Great  Councils  of  Maryland,  District  of  Colum- 
bia, and  Virginia,  and  four  Tribes  in  Pennsylvania,  and  one  in 
Delaware.  The  number  of  members  in  good  standing  was  1 168. 
During  the  grand  sun  344  had  been  admitted,  66  rejected,  77 
suspended,  13  admitted  by  card,  10  withdrawn  by  card,  and  16 
had  died. 

The  amount  expended  for  the  relief  of  brothers  was  1705 
fathoms  7  feet  and  5  inches,  and  for  the  relief  of  widows  and 
orphans,  1539  fathoms  2  feet  and  5  inches.  For  the  education 
of  orphans,  17  fathoms.  The  total  amount  reported  received 
by  Tribes  during  the  grand  sun  was  5396  fathoms  5  feet  and  4 
inches.  The  present  fathom,  equal  to  one  dollar,  is  here  meant. 

1849. 

The  council  fire  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States 
was  kindled  at  the  wigwam  of  the  Great  Council  in  Plant  moon, 
G.  S.  5609,  W.  G.  S.  Incohonee  Hugh  Latham  presiding. 

The  W.  G.  S.  Incohonee  submitted  an  elaborate  and  interesting 
longtalk,  covering  the  administration  of  affairs  under  his  charge 
during  the  grand  sun.  He  reported  the  Order  in  a  prosperous 
condition,  and  gradually  increasing  in  numbers  and  respectability. 

He  reported  that  dispensations  had  been  granted  to  organize 
four  Tribes  in  the  State  of  New  York  and  two  in  Pennsylvania. 

The  Tribes  in  New  York  were  Oneida,  No.  i,  Osceola,  No.  2, 
and  Oneactah,  No.  4,  all  of  New  York  City,  and  Metamora,  No. 
3,  of  Brooklyn.  These  Tribes  were  instituted  by  the  W.  G.  S. 
Incohonee  in  person. 

He  reported  that  on  his  arrival  in  New  York  he  found  that 
some  of  the  petitioners  had  been  associated  under  the  name  of 
the  "  Order  of  Red  Men  "  without  being  aware  of  the  existence 
of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  until  a  very  short  period 
before  making  application  to  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  for  dispensations. 

In  view  of  their  manly  course  in  at  once  acknowledging  the 
supremacy  of  the  Improved  Order,  he  recommended  the  grant- 
ing of  a  Great  Council  charter  without  the  usual  fee ;  a  recom- 
mendation which  was  subsequently  endorsed  by  the  G.  C.  U.  S, 


288  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

He  also  reported  the  institution  of  Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  5, 
at  Philadelphia,  and  Mohegan  Tribe,  No.  6,  at  Waynesboro,  Pa. 

He  mentioned  the  receipt  of  an  application  for  a  Great  Coun- 
cil for  Pennsylvania,  to  be  located  in  Philadelphia.  He  also 
stated  that  he  had  received  inquiries  from  New  Orleans, 
Louisiana,  and  Columbia,  Pa.,  relative  to  the  Order,  and 
concluded  with  a  grateful  acknowledgment  of  the  assistance 
rendered  by  Grand  Keeper  of  Records  Booker  during  the  grand 
sun. 

A  proposition  was  presented  and  referred  to  the  Committee 
on  Petitions  proposing  the  establishment  of  a  branch  of  the 
Order  to  be  known  as  Chiefs  of  the  Mountain.  Membership 
was  to  be  restricted  to  members  of  the  Order,  and  it  was  to  be 
subordinate  to  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  Great  Council  of 
the  United  States.  The  proposition  was  rejected.  Permission 
was  given  to  Kuequenaku  Tribe,  No.  4,  of  Pennsylvania,  to 
change  its  name. 

Upon  a  favorable  report  of  the  Committee  on  Petitions,  it 
was  voted  to  grant  a  charter  for  the  institution  of  the  Great 
Council  of  Pennsylvania.  It  is  worthy  of  mention  that  among 
the  petitioners  for  a  charter  for  the  Great  Council  of  Pennsyl- 
vania was  the  name  of  William  Beesley  Davis,  afterwards  Great 
Incohonee  of  the  Order,  and  John  Fry,  father  of  the  present 
Great  Sachem  of  that  reservation. 

A  very  flattering  vote  was  adopted  extending  the  thanks  of 
the  Great  Council  to  W.  G.  S.  Incohonee  Latham  for  the 
"very  distinguished  and  impartial  manner  in  which  he  has  dis- 
charged his  duty,  his  gentlemanly  deportment  and  competency, 
which  will  ever  be  appreciated  by  the  brothers  composing  this 
body." 

The  chiefs  for  the  ensuing  grand  sun  were  elected  and  raised 
up  to  their  respective  positions  as  follows  :  — 

W.  G.  S.  Incohonee,  JOHN  F.  SMITH,  P.  G.  S.,     Virginia. 

W.  G.  Sagamore,  WM.  BEESLEY  DAVIS,  P.  S.,  Pennsylvania. 

W.  G.  Prophet,  B.  W.  FERGUSON,  P.  S.,       Maryland. 

W.  G.  Keeper  of  Records,  JOHN  L.  BOOKER,  P.  G.  S.,          " 

W.  G.  Keeper  of  Wampum,  STEPHEN  BURGESS,  P.  G.  S.,         " 

W.  G.  Tocakon,  JOHN  McCAULEY,  P.  S.,        District  of  Columbia. 

W.  G.  Minewa,  R.  A.  MCALLISTER,  P.  S-,  Maryland. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED   STATES.          289 

It  was  decided  that  the  travelling  expenses  of  the  W.  G.  S. 
Incohonee  in  attending  the  councils  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  be  paid 
by  that  body. 

Past  Grand  Sachem  Burgess  having  tendered  his  resignation 
as  Grand  Keeper  of  Wampum,  to  which  he  had  just  been  raised, 
Past  Sachem  Jesse  H.  Magruder,  of  Maryland,  was  elected  to  fill 
the  vacancy  and  duly  raised  up. 

From  the  reports  submitted  by  the  Great  Councils  of 
Maryland,  District  of  Columbia  and  Virginia,  and  from  the 
Tribes  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S., 
statistics  are  collated  of  the  work  of  the  grand  sun  as  follows  : 
Number  of  members,  214.6;  adopted,  663;  rejected,  62; 
admitted  by  card,  48;  withdrawn,  by  card,  149;  died,  23; 
suspended,  121  ;  expelled,  45  ;  paid  for  relief  of  brothers,  3123 
fathoms  2  feet  5  inches ;  paid  for  relief  of  widows  and  orphans, 
2404  fathoms  5  feet ;  paid  for  the  education  of  orphans,.  46 
fathoms;  total  receipts  of  Tribes,  11,752  fathoms  I  foot. 

The  business  of  the  Great  Council  having  been  concluded  the 
council  fire  was  quenched,  to  be  rekindled  at  Baltimore,  in 
Plant  moon,  G.  S.  5610. 

1850. 

The  Great  Council  assembled  at  the  Great  Council  wigwam, 
Baltimore,  in  Plant  moon,  G.  S.  5610,  W.  G.  S.  Incohonee  John 
F.  Smith  presiding. 

Among  those  admitted  at  this  council  was  Past  Grand 
Sachem  Robert  Sullivan,  who  afterwards  became  Great 
Incohonee. 

At  this  time  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  seems  to  have  permitted  proxy 
representation,  a  custom  not  now  in  vogue. 

At  this  council  New  Jersey  for  the  first  time  was  represented, 
by  Bernhard  McCormack,  who  appeared  for  Arreseoh  Tribe, 
No.  i,  of  Newark,  N.J. 

In  his  longtalk  the  Worthy  Grand  Sachem  Incohonee  ten- 
dered his  heartfelt  congratulations  upon  the  strength  and  posi- 
tion the  Order  had  assumed  since  the  last  council,  being  in  a 
more  prosperous  and  healthy  condition  than  ever  before.  For 
this  he  stated  that  thanks  should  be  returned  to  that  Great 
Spirit  "whose  eye  never  slumbers  nor  sleeps."  He  reported 


290  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

the  institution  of  the  Great  Council  of  Pennsylvania,  on  the  23d 
of  Flower  moon,  G.  S.  5609,  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia.  He  also 
reported  the  institution  of  the  Great  Council  of  New  York.  He 
reported  the  organization  of  Arreseoh  Tribe,  No.  I,  at  Newark, 
N.J.  ;  the  work  having  been  done  by  Past  Sachem  Albert 
Fisher,  Jr.,  W.  G.  J.  S.  of  the  G.  C.  of  New  York.  He  also 
made  a  report,  that,  on  a  recent  visit  to  Baltimore,  he  was 
informed  that  it  had  pleased  Metamora  Tribe,  No.  4,  late  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland,  to  sever  the 
connection  which  existed  between  said  Tribe  and  the  Great 
Council,  by  surrendering  their  charter,  books,  etc.,  and  declar- 
ing themselves  an  "  Independent  Order  of  Red  Men,"  and 
not  knowing  the  cause  which  prompted  said  action,  he  recom- 
mended that  the  case  of  Metamora  Tribe  be  taken  under  special 
advisement. 

The  affair  thus  mentioned  by  the  Great  Incohonee  was 
referred  to  a  special  committee  which  subsequently  reported 
that  the  matter  was  considered  with  some  diffidence,  inasmuch 
as  the  Tribe  was  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of 
Maryland,  and  there  had  been  no  action  on  the  part  of  said  Great 
Council.  From  information  received  it  appeared  that  said  Tribe 
pursued  a  legal  and  proper  course  in  surrendering  its  charter, 
and  it  was  to  be  regretted  that  circumstances  should  have  caused 
the  withdrawal  of  any  portion  of  our  Order  at  a  time  when  the 
prospects  were  so  flattering.  The  committee,  while  refraining 
from  condemning  the  withdrawal  (for  every  Tribe  or  brother 
had  a  perfect  right  to  withdraw  or  remain),  expressed  its  most 
emphatic  condemnation  of  the  action  of  the  former  brothers  in 
assuming  a  part  of  the  name  of  the  Order  in  the  establishment 
of  another  organization.  The  committee  recommended  to  the 
entire  brotherhood  to  abstain  from  any  intercourse  whatever 
with  the  brothers  as  an  institution,  and  recommended  the 
adoption  of  resolutions  expressing  the  will  of  the  Great  Council, 
which  were  adopted,  as  follows  :  — 

"Resolved,  That  no  brother  of  this  Order  (under  this  immediate  jurisdiction, 
or  under  the  jurisdiction  of  a  Great  Council  holding  a  charter  from  this  body), 
shall  be  permitted  to  hold  membership  with  the  Order  known  as  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Red  Men. 

"  Resolved,  That  any  brothers  persisting  in  associating  themselves  with  the 
Independent  Order  of  Red  Men  be  expelled  forthwith." 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.          291 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  draft  a  Form  of  Dedication. 

At  this  council  for  the  first  time  Representatives  were 
admitted  from  the  Great  Councils  of  Pennsylvania  and  New 
York. 

A  complete  revision  of  the  Constitution  was  adopted. 

New  charters  in  place  of  those  formerly  held  were  granted  to 
the  Great  Councils  of  Maryland  and  the  District  of  Columbia. 

The  time  of  kindling  and  quenching  the  council  fire  of  the 
G.  C.  U.  S.  was  changed  from  Plant  moon  to  Corn  moon,  and 
it  was  decided  that  the  chiefs  elected  at  this  council  should 
serve  until  the  regular  council  in  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  5611. 

The  Constitution  adopted  seems  to  have  provided  for  several 
new  chiefs,  among  them  being  a  Grand  Junior  Sagamore,  a 
Grand  Tocakon  and  a  Grand  Minewa. 

The  chiefs  elected  and  raised  up  for  the  ensuing  term  were 
as  follows  :  — 

W.  G.  S.  Incohonee,  WILLIAM  BEESLEY  DAVIS,  Pennsylvania. 

W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore,        ROBERT  SULLIVAN,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Junior  Sagamore,         JOHN  WITHERELL,  New  York. 

W.  G.  Prophet,  JOHN  CARTER,  District  of  Columbia. 

W.  G.  Keeper  of  Records,     JOHN  L.  BOOKER,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Keeper  of  Wampum,  B.  W.  FERGUSON,  Maryland. 

The  W.  G.  S.  Incohonee  appointed  William  Tucker,  of  D.  of  C., 
W.  G.  Tocakon,  and  A.  Gibbs,  of  Pennsylvania,  W.  G.  Minewa. 

The  Committee  on  Design  of  Cards  was  directed  to  furnish 
the  Great  Council  at  its  next  council  a  suitable  form  of  card 
with  the  probable  cost  of  the  plate  thereof. 

The  Committee  on  Revision  reported  favorably  upon  an  appli- 
cation for  a  Tribe  to  be  located  in  the  city  of  Camden,  N.J. 

The  matter  of  a  revised  ritual  and  a  proposed  new  regalia  was 
laid  over  until  the  special  council  in  Corn  moon. 

One  matter  considered  at  this  council  was  important  enough 
to  be  mentioned  here  at  length.  We  submit  the  action  of  the 
Great  Council  in  full  as  it  stands  alone  in  the  history  of  the 
Order.  The  report  is  as  follows  :  — 

"  To  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  Impd.  O.  R.  M.  : 

"  The  Committee  on  Credentials  report,  that  the  certificate  from  Metamoru 
Tribe,  No.  2,  of  Lancaster,  Pa.,  in  favor  of  Bro.  Wm.  B.  Fahnestock,  is  in 


292  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

form,  but  from  information  received,  are  compelled  to  inform  this  Great 
Council  that  Bro.  Fahnestock  has  never  served  in  the  seat  of  Sachem,  but 
that  he  is  in  possession  of  the  Past  Sachem's  degree,  conferred  by  the  Great 
Council  of  Pennsylvania,  in  accordance  with  permission  from  the  Great  Sachem 
Incohonee  of  this  Great  Council.  For  certain  reasons,  it  was  desirable  on 
the  part  of  Metamora  Tribe,  that  Bro.  Fahnestock  should  be  present  at  the 
Great  Council  this  session.  This  is  a  novel  case,  and  one  which  we  hope 
may  never  occur  again.  In  view  of  all  the  circumstances,  the  committee  are 
reluctantly  constrained  to  recommend  that  Bro.  Wm.  B.  Fahnestock  be  per- 
mitted to  visit  this  Great  Council  during  the  present  session,  and  would  offer 
the  following  resolution : 

"Resolved,  That  Bro.  Wm.  B.  Fahnestock  be  allowed  a  seat  in  this  Great 
Council,  but  that  he  is  not  permitted  to  vote  on  any  question,  nor  allowed  to 
address  this  Great  Council  unless  by  a  unanimous  vote. 

"  WM.  G.  GORSUCH, 
"  HUGH  LATHAM, 
"  HENRY  CRYSS." 

The  following  resolution  was  also  adopted  :  — 

"  Resolved,  That  in  the  passage  of  the  report  of  the  committee  recommend- 
ing the  admission  of  Bro.  Wm.  B.  Fahnestock,  this  Great  Council  does  not 
make  this  a  precedent  for  any  future  action  for  this  body." 

The  statistics  of  the  Order  as  given  by  the  report  of  the 
W.  G.  Keeper  of  Records  showed  that  the  Order  existed  in 
Maryland,  District  of  Columbia,  Virginia,  Pennsylvania,  and 
New  York. 

The  number  of  Tribes  was  45,  in  which  there  had  been  1255 
initiations,  139  suspensions,  and  27  expulsions,  leaving  the  num- 
ber of  members  at  the  time  of  the  report,  3175.  There  were 
expended  for  the  relief  of  brothers,  4015  fathoms  and  for  the 
relief  of  widows,  2358  fathoms.  In  addition  to  this  103  fathoms 
were  expended  for  the  education  of  orphans. 

Further  explanation  seems  appropriate  concerning  the  reasons 
which  caused  the  separation  from  the  Order  of  Metamora  Tribe, 
No.  4,  of  Maryland,  and  the  subsequent  organization  of  the 
"  Independent  Order  of  Red  Men  "  as  a  rival  to  the  "  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men." 

So  many  great  suns  have  passed  since  this  action  was  taken, 
that  full  particulars  need  not  be  suppressed  through  fear  of  mis- 
construction. The  facts  will  show  that  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  acted 
with  calmness  and  good  judgment,  and  in  the  difference  of 
opinion  between  the  Tribe  and  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  simply  upheld 


I 

GREAT  COUNCIL    Of  UNITED  STATES.          293 

its  own  dignity,  while  the  Tribe  exhibited  a  stubborn  determina- 
tion to  ignore  all  obligations  taken  and  to  disobey  the  laws  of 
the  Order. 

Metamora  Tribe,  No.  4,  had  refused  to  pay  benefits,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  laws  of  the  Tribe,  on  the  plea  that  the  party  was 
not  entitled.  The  party  thereupon  appealed  from  the  action  of 
the  Tribe  to  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland.  That  body  care- 
fully investigated  the  case,  and,  after  a  calm,  equitable  consid- 
eration, sustained  the  appeal,  and  directed  the  Tribe  to  satisfy 
the  claim.  This  the  Tribe  refused  to  do,  and  appealed  to  the 
G.  C.  U.  S.,  where,  after  a  searching  investigation,  that  body 
resolved  to  sustain  the  action  of  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland, 
and  directed  the  Tribe  to  obey  the  mandate  thereof. 

Metamora  Tribe,  No.  4,  rather  than  comply  with  the  decision 
of  the  higher  two  bodies,  and  do  that  which  seemed  to  both  to 
be  only  an  act  of  justice,  defiantly  refused  to  obey,  and  at  once 
took  steps  to  forsake  the  parent  organization  and  institute  a  new 
one  to  be  termed  the  "  Independent  Order  of  Red  Men." 

As  the  new  departure  worked  only  in  the  German  language, 
they  appealed  to,  and  received,  support  from  those  of  that  na- 
tionality only.  A  number  of  German  Tribes  in  Philadelphia  and 
elsewhere  were  importuned  to  cast  their  lot  with  the  so-called 
"  Independents,"  but  in  vain,  for  in  nearly  every  instance  they 
remained  true  to  the  principles  of  Freedom,  Friendship,  and 
Charity,  and  faithful  chiefs  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

The  new  venture  was  introduced  into  New  York,  New  Jersey, 
Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Ohio,  West  Virginia,  Illinois,  Missouri, 
Louisiana,  California,  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island,  and  a  few 
other  States,  and  at  one  time  had  12,000  members.  During  the 
last  ten  great  suns  a  number  of  their  Tribes  (or  "  Stamms,"  as 
they  are  called)  becoming  dissatisfied  with  their  management, 
surrendered  their  charters,  squared  their  accounts,  and  became 
bodily,  and  separately  by  adoption,  Tribes  and  members  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  and,  with  pleasure  we  record  it, 
have  proved  excellent  workers  in  our  Order. 

Over  forty  great  suns  have  passed  since  the  departure  of 
No.  4,  and  at  this  time  it  seems  but  a  ripple  upon  the  wave  of 
prosperity  that  has  come  to  our  Order,  when  we  look  back  upon 
the  separation  that  then  took  place. 


294  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

A  special  council  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Uncas 
wigwam,  Baltimore,  Md.,  on  the  loth  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  5610. 
In  the  absence  of  W.  G.  S.  Incohonee  Davis,  the  council  fire 
was  kindled  by  W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore,  Robert  Sullivan. 

The  peculiar  position  of  Brother  William  B.  Fahnestock,  upon 
whom  had  been  conferred  the  degree  of  Past  Sachem  as  pre- 
viously recorded,  again  came  before  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  upon  a 
request  from  Metamora  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  Pennsylvania,  that 
Brother  Fahnestock  be  accorded  the  rights  and  privileges  of  a 
Representative  in  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

A  preamble  and  resolutions  were  submitted  which  recited  the 
fact  that  Brother  Fahnestock  had  written,  and  presented  to  the 
Committee  on  Revision  of  the  Work  of  the  Order,  an  entire 
new  set  of  degrees  for  the  Tribe,  and  declared  that  he  be  per- 
mitted to  take  a  seat  as  a  Representative  from  Metamora  Tribe, 
with  all  the  privileges  of  a  Past  Sachem,  in  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  The 
matter  was  disposed  of  by  allowing  to  Brother  Fahnestock 
the  same  privileges  as  were  accorded  at  the  last  council  of  the 
G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  report  of  the  Committee  on  Revision  of  the  Work  of  the 
Order  was  considered,  and  the  Great  Council  adopted  a  ritual  as 
presented  by  Past  Sachem  Fahnestock,  and  forms  for  instituting 
a  Tribe,  for  introducing  members  into  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  for  rais- 
ing up  chiefs  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  for  introducing  Past  Sachems 
and  Representatives  in  State  Great  Councils,  for  a  funeral 
ceremony,  and  for  dedication  of  wigwams. 

The  subject  of  regalia  occupied  considerable  of  the  time  of 
the  Great  Council.  The  following  style  was  finally  adopted  :  — 

The  regalia  for  the  P.  G.  Incohonee  shall  be  a  sash  with  a  pouch  attached, 
composed  of  scarlet  and  purple  silk  velvet,  running  from  end  to  end  with  a 
small  band  of  gold  cord  over  the  seam,  a  gold  jewel  suspending  an  eagle  with 
a  tomahawk  in  its  talons  depending  from  the  centre  of  lower  edge. 

Belt.  —  Four  inches  wide,  color  of  the  sash,  with  the  letters  P.  G.  I.  em- 
broidered thereon. 

Regalia  of  P.  G.  Sachem. — Sash  as  above,  with  the  exception  of  the  emblems. 

Aprons.  —  A  half  skirt  of  purple  silk  velvet  trimmed  with  gold  bullion 
fringe,  an  eagle  bearing  in  his  beak  a  scroll  with  the  name  of  the  State  em- 
broidered in  front. 

Regalia  of  a  P.  Sachem.  —  Sash  as  above  of  scarlet  velvet,  trimmed  with 
gold  bullion  fringe,  with  the  emblems  of  the  degrees  embroidered  thereon. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.          295 

Aprons.  —  Of  scarlet  velvet,  with  the  name  of  the  State  encompassed  by  a 
wreath  embroidered  thereon,  trimmed  with  gold  bullion  fringe. 

Regalia  for  Initiatory  Degree Green  sash. 

"    Brave's          "         Orange  " 

"   Warrior's      "         Blue        " 

"         "   Chiefs          "         Scarlet    " 

Trimmed  with  silver  lace. 

Aprons.  —  Color  of  the  degree,  with  the  emblems  of  the  degree  embroidered 
thereon.  Trimmed  with  silver  bullion  fringe. 

The  funeral  regalia  to  be  left  discretionary  with  the  State  Great  Councils. 

Permission  was  denied  Delaware  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Wilmington, 
Delaware,  to  have  a  procession  in  costume,  although  permission 
was  granted  to  have  a  procession. 

A  regalia  was  presented  to  retiring  W.  G.  S.  Incohonee 
Latham. 

1851. 

The  Great  Council  assembled  at  Osceola  wigwam,  Baltimore, 
Md.,  in  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  5611,  W.  G.  S.  Incohonee  W.  Beesley 
Davis  presiding. 

Among  the  Representatives  admitted  at  this  council  was 
Richard  Marley  of  Maryland,  who  afterwards  became  Great 
Incohonee  of  the  Order.  For  the  first  time  a  Representative 
was  received  from  the  reservation  of  New  Jersey,  in  the  person 
of  Selden  Dickinson,  from  Arreseoh  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  New- 
ark, NJ. 

The  ritual  prepared  by  Brother  Fahnestock,  adopted  at  the 
special  council  previously  held,  seems  to  have  been  too  elaborate 
for  proper  delineation  ;  and  a  resolution  was  adopted  to  the 
effect  that  a  committee  be  appointed  to  inquire  into  the  expedi- 
ency of  remodelling  the  entire  work  of  the  Order. 

This  committee  later  in  the  council  reported  that  the  necessity 
for  remodelling  the  entire  work  of  the  Order  was  imperative,  and 
recommended  that  a  committee  of  five  be  appointed  to  make 
such  alterations  in  the  work  as  shall  meet  the  wants  and  capaci- 
ties of  the  brotherhood. 

At  this  council  a  petition  was  received  from  Arreseoh,  No.  i, 
Leni  Lenape,  No.  2,  and  Red  Bird,  No.  3,  of  New  Jersey, 
asking  for  a  Great  Council  for  the  State  of  New  Jersey,  and  the 
petition  was  subsequently  granted. 


296  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

The  W.  G.  S.  Incohonee  in  his  longtalk  had  referred  to 
difficulties  in  the  reservation  of  New  York.  The  matter  was 
referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  State  of  the  Order,  which 
subsequently  reported  that  the  Great  Council  of  New  York  was 
defunct,  and  but  one  Tribe  remained  in  existence.  They  recom- 
mended that  a  chief  of  this  body  be  sent  to  New  York  to 
reclaim  the  property  of  the  Order,  and  to  attach  Manhattan 
Tribe  to  this  Great  Council.  The  report  was  adopted. 

Dispensations  had  been  granted  during  the  grand  sun  for 
the  institution  of  Miami  Tribe,  No.  i,  Cincinnati,  and  Tecumseh 
Tribe,  No.  2,  Springfield,  Ohio.  An  application  for  a  Tribe  at 
Ironton,  Ohio,  was  received  at  the  council  and  it  was  voted  that 
the  matter  be  referred  to  the  incoming  W.  G.  S.  Incohonee. 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the  ensu- 
ing grand  sun  were  as  follows  :  — 

W.  G.  Incohonee,  ROBERT  SULLIVAN,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore,  WILLIAM  TUCKER,  District  of  Columbia. 

W.  G.  Junior  Sagamore,  JNO.  A.  WILLARD,  Delaware. 

W.  G.  Prophet,  DANIEL  CHAMBERS,  Virginia. 

W.  G.  Chief  of  Records,  JNO.  L.  BOOKER,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Keeper  of  Wampum,  B.  W.  FERGUSON,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Tocakon,  SELDEN  DICKINSON,  New  Jersey. 

W.  G.  Minewa,  J.T.BRADLEY,  District  of  Columbia. 

At  this  council  an  elaborate  plan  for  a  so-called  higher  degree 
was  submitted  by  the  Representatives  from  the  Great  Council 
of  Maryland,  which  was  indefinitely  postponed. 

It  was  voted  that  a  committee  of  three  be  appointed  to  pro- 
cure and  present  to  the  next  council  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  a  design 
for  a  charter  plate,  with  an  estimate  of  the  probable  cost. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  principal  work  engaging  the  attention 
of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  at  this  council  was  a  ritual  of  the  Order  and 
the  style  of  regalia  to  be  adopted.  While  the  ritual  prepared 
by  Brother  Fahnestock  was  of  a  high  order  of  merit  as  a 
literary  production,  experience  proved  that  it  was  not  adapted 
for  general  use  among  the  members  of  the  Order,  most  of  whom 
could  not  be  expected  to  have  that  special  training  necessary 
for  the  proper  rendering  of  the  work. 

The  subject  of  regalia  was  finally  settled  to  the  satisfaction 
of  all,  and  the  regalia  adopted  at  this  council  continued  in  use 
many  great  suns,  and  was  considered  very  neat  and  appropriate. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    Of  UNITED  STATES.          29? 

From  the  statistical  records  from  Great  Councils  we  submit 
the  following  summary  of  the  work  done  for  the  18  moons 
ending  ist  Buck  moon,  G.  S.  5611.  The  record  contains 
reports  from  Great  Councils  only,  and  therefore  gives  the 
statistics  from  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia,  Virginia,  and 
Pennsylvania.  As  an  indication  of  the  growth  of  the  Order 
in  Pennsylvania,  it  may  be  observed  that  the  number  of  Tribes 
at  this  time  in  that  reservation  had  increased  to  21.  The  totals 
of  the  statistics  were  as  follows :  Number  of  Tribes,  59 ; 
initiations,  2131;  suspensions,  259;  expulsions,  74;  rejections, 
169;  admitted  by  card,  57;  withdrawn  by  card,  no;  deaths, 
43 ;  number  of  members,  4709 ;  expended  for  the  relief  of 
brothers,  6590  fathoms  5  feet ;  expended  for  relief  of  widows, 
2734  fathoms  2  feet  5  inches ;  expended  for  education  of 
orphans,  138  fathoms. 

1852. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Osceola 
wigwam,  Baltimore,  Md.,  in  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  5612,  W.  G. 
Incohonee  Robert  Sullivan  presiding. 

Among  the  Representatives  admitted  at  this  council  were 
Thomas  A.  Bosley,  of  Ohio,  and  Joseph  Pyle,  of  Delaware,  each 
of  whom  subsequently  became  Great  Incohonee  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 
Brother  Pyle  is  the  present  honorable  and  honored  Great  Keeper 
of  Wampum  of  the  United  States. 

The  States  from  which  Representatives  were  admitted  at  this 
council  were  Maryland,  Virginia,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Delaware, 
and  the  District  of  Columbia. 

W.  G.  Incohonee  presented  his  longtalk  which  congratu- 
lated the  Great  Council  upon  the  flattering  success  and  progress 
that  had  been  experienced  during  the  grand  sun. 

At  the  council  held  on  the  i  «,th  sun  an  invitation  was  accepted 
from  Pocahontas,  No.  3,  Baltimore,  Md.,  tendered  through 
P.  G.  I.  William  G.  Gorsuch,  to  partake  of  the  hospitality  of  the 
Tribe  at  a  reception  and  banquet  to  be  given  on  that  sleep. 
The  occasion  is  worthy  of  mention  as  being  the  first  time  upon 
which  such  formal  hospitality  was  tendered  to,  and  accepted  by, 
the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  chiefs  elected  and    appointed   and    raised    up  to   their 


298 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 


respective    positions    for    the    ensuing    grand    sun     were   as 
follows  :  — 


W.  G.  Incohonee, 

W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore, 

W.  G.  Junior  Sagamore, 

W.  G.  Prophet, 

W.  G.  Chief  of  Records, 

W.  G.  Keeper  of  Wampum,  B.  W.  FERGUSON, 

W.  G.  Tocakon,  GEORGE  PERCY, 

W.  G.  Minewa,  J.  W.  PATTERSON, 


WM.  TUCKER,  P.  G.  S., 
Louis  BONSAL,  P.  G.  S., 
T.  B.  DISNEY, 
JOSEPH  MYERS, 
JOHN  L.  BOOKER, 


District  of  Columbia. 

Maryland. 

Ohio. 

New  Jersey. 

Maryland. 

Maryland. 

Virginia. 

Delaware. 


At  this  council  a  petition  was  presented  from  several  Tribes 
located  in  and  near  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  asking  that  the 
Great  Council  of  that  body  be  located  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia 
inasmuch  as  the  kindling  of  its  council  fire  in  Lancaster,  Co- 
lumbia, and  Harrisburg,  compelled  a  long  journey  on  the  part 
of  a  majority  of  the  members  of  Tribes,  in  order  to  attend  the 
councils  of  the  Great  Councils.  The  Great  Council  declined  to 
grant  the  prayer  of  the  petitioners. 

The  Committee  on  the  Revision  of  the  Ritual,  appointed  at 
the  last  council,  reported  that  it  had  been  unable  to  attend  to 
the  work  entrusted  to  it,  and  at  this  council  many  propositions 
were  submitted  having  in  view  the  adoption  of  some  method 
by  which  a  satisfactory  ritual  could  be  adopted.  Many  of  the 
propositions  appeared  in  the  work  as  revised,  and  others  never 
again  saw  the  light  of  day.  Among  these  matters,  one  is  de- 
serving of  mention,  being  a  proposition  submitted  by  Represen- 
tative George  Percy,  of  Virginia,  that  a  committee  be  appointed 
to  which  shall  be  referred  the  expediency  and  propriety  of  es- 
tablishing a  Pocahontas  degree,  to  be  conferred  upon  the  wives 
of  such  brothers  as  may  apply  for  the  same  ;  and  such  commit- 
tee is  required  to  report  at  the  next  council. 

Upon  the  report  and  recommendation  of  the  Committee  on 
the  State  of  the  Order,  the  action  of  the  W.  G.  Incohonee  was 
approved  in  relation  to  organizing  and  reorganizing  the  Great 
Council  of  the  State  of  New  Jersey,  and  charters  were  granted 
to  the  Great  Councils  of  New  Jersey  and  Ohio.  The  action  of 
the  W.  G.  Incohonee  was  also  approved  in  relation  to  the 
petition  for  a  Tribe  at  Ironton,  Ohio. 

Favorable  action  was  taken  upon  the  proposition  to  share  the 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.  299 

expense    of    maintaining   an    office    for    the    W.    G.    Chief    of 
Records. 

The  statistical  report  of  Great  Councils  to  the  Great  Chief 
of  Records  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  furnished  the  following  very 
interesting  information.  The  whole  number  of  Tribes  attached 
to  the  Great  Councils  of  Maryland,  Virginia,  Ohio,  District  of 
Columbia,  New  Jersey,  and  Pennsylvania  was  68,  and  in  addi- 
tion there  were  two  Tribes  in  Delaware  and  two  in  Kentucky. 
Initiations,  1004 ;  suspensions,  324 ;  expulsions,  88 ;  rejected, 
92  ;  admitted  by  card,  68  ;  withdrawn  by  card,  74 ;  deaths,  34  ; 
number  of  members,  4276 ;  expended  for  relief  of  brothers, 
6163  fathoms  ;  expended  for  relief  of  widows,  2957  fathoms  ; 
expended  for  the  education  of  orphans,  136  fathoms  5  feet. 
Maryland  still  retained  her  position  as  number  one  among  the 
Great  Councils,  both  in  Tribes  and  membership,  Pennsylvania 
being  second. 

I853- 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  in  Osceola 
wigwam,  Baltimore,  Md.,  at  the  loth  run  of  the  I3th  sun,  Corn 
moon,  G.  S.  5613,  W.  G.  Incohonee  William  Tucker  presiding. 

Representatives  were  admitted  from  Maryland,  Virginia, 
Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey,  Delaware,  Ohio,  Kentucky,  and  the 
District  of  Columbia.  Among  the  number  were  Past  Great 
Sachems  George  A.  Peter,  representing  the  Great  Council  of 
Ohio,  and  William  R.  Burns,  representing  the  Great  Council  of 
New  Jersey,  each  of  whom  afterwards  became  Great  Incohonee 
of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

By  the  revisions  of  the  laws  that  up  to  this  time  had  taken 
place  the  title  "Grand"  had  been  changed  to  "Great."  The 
prefix  "Sachem"  to  the  title  of  "Incohonee"  had  been  dropped, 
but  the  prefix  "  Worthy  "  was  retained  for  all  the  great  chiefs 
of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  Great  Incohonee  presented  his  longtalk,  of  which  we 
make  the  following  summary  :  — 

He  reported  the  organization  of  Osceola  Tribe,  No.  I,  at 
Fayetteville,  N.C.,  on  the  9th  sleep  of  Travelling  moon,  G.  S. 
5613  (October  9,  1853).  This  was  the  first  of  several  attempts 
to  establish  the  Order  in  that  reservation.  Each  successive 


300  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

attempt  met  with  failure  and  it  was  not  until  many  great  suns 
after  that  an  organization  was  perfected,  resulting  in  the  Tribes 
now  existing  in  that  reservation. 

The  rivalry  between  the  Tribes  in  Philadelphia  and  those 
outside  had  culminated  in  the  holding  of  a  council  by  one  fac- 
tion at  Philadelphia  and  another  at  Columbia,  and  the  suspension 
of  three  of  the  Tribes,  and  the  W.  G.  Incohonee  referred  to  the 
conflict  as  a  matter  needing  the  attention  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  institution  of  Keokuk  Tribe,  No.  3,  of  Delaware,  by 
"Past  Sachem"  Joseph  Pyle,  was  reported,  as  was  also  infor- 
mation of  an  attempt  to  reorganize  the  Order  in  New  York 
"  whether  sanctioned  by  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  or  not." 

In  relation  to  the  condition  of  the  Order  in  New  York,  which 
at  the  last  council  had  been  referred  to  him,  he  reported  that  he 
had  secured  the  work,  which  had  been  retained  in  the  hands  of 
a  brother  in  New  York  City,  upon  payment  of  a  claim  for 
expenses  amounting  to  $6.66.  He  also  obtained  the  books  of 
the  defunct  Great  Council  of  New  York,  and  of  several  defunct 
Tribes,  and  placed  Manhattan  Tribe,  the  only  one  left,  under 
the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  This  Tribe, 
shortly  after,  also  became  defunct,  and  its  work  was  reclaimed. 

He  reported  the  organization  of  the  Great  Council  of  New 
Jersey  on  the  ist  of  Travelling  moon.  Leni  Lenape  Tribe,  of 
Camden,  not  having  been  notified,  the  organization  was  effected 
with  the  understanding  that  if  not  entirely  satisfactory,  a  sub- 
sequent reorganization  would  be  made.  All  difficulties  were 
amicably  adjusted,  and  on  the  26th  of  Hunting  moon  (Decem- 
ber 26,  1851),  the  reorganization  was  made  with  Brother  Mc- 
Cormick  as  Great  Sachem. 

He  referred  to  the  organization  of  Osceola  Tribe,  No.  2, 
Delaware  City,  Delaware,  Algonquin,  No.  3,  of  Columbus,  Ohio, 
Chickasaw  Tribe,  No.  I,  of  Newport,  Kentucky,  and  Black 
Hawk  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  Covington,  Kentucky.  The  date  of  the 
introduction  of  the  Order  into  Kentucky  was  2Qth  Hot  moon, 
G.  S.  5612  (June  29,  1852).  The  first  Prophet  of  Black  Hawk 
Tribe,  No.  2,  was  A.  J.  Francis,  afterwards  sixteenth  Great 
Incohonee  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

He  also  recorded  the  institution  of  the  Great  Council  of 
Ohio  at  Cincinnati  on  the  /th  sleep  of  Plant  moon,  G.  S.  5612, 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.  301 

(April  7,  1852),  by  Past  Great  Sachem  George  A.  Peter.  The 
Great  Senior  Sagamore  was  Samuel  S.  McGibbons,  and  21 
great  suns  later  his  trail  led  him  into  the  reservation  of  Massa- 
chusetts, where  he  renewed  his  membership  and  became  attached 
to  the  Order  in  that  State,  in  Sagamore  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  Lynn. 
Brother  Peter,  as  elsewhere  noted,  was  the  seventh  Great  Inco- 
honee  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

For  the  first  time  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  submitted  a 
written  report,  covering  the  transactions  of  his  chieftaincy 
during  the  grand  sun.  From  this  we  extract  as  follows  :  — 

In  obedience  to  instructions,  he  had  arranged  jointly  with  the 
Great  Council  of  Maryland  for  the  expense  of  hiring  and  fitting 
up  an  office  suitable  for  his  work.  He  had  procured  a  seal  and 
press  of  a  design  that  he  trusted  would  meet  with  approval.  He 
had  attended  to  the  other  instructions  concerning  printing  and 
distributing  the  Constitution  and  General  Laws  of  the  Order. 

Accompanying  his  written  report  was  a  summary  of  reports 
from  State  Great  Councils.  That  of  New  Jersey  was  reported 
to  be  incomplete,  and  the  statistics  from  Tribes  in  Kentucky, 
North  Carolina,  and  Delaware  were  not  included.  From  this 
summary  we  learn  that  the  number  of  tribes  was  74 ;  initiations, 
1231  ;  suspensions,  345  ;  expulsions,  109;  deaths,  31  ;  admitted 
by  card,  78  ;  withdrawn  by  card,  86  ;  number  of  members,  5242  ; 
expended  for  relief  of  brothers,  7199  fathoms  I  foot;  expended 
for  relief  of  widows,  2658  fathoms  I  foot. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  of  the  Great  Council  of  Pennsyl- 
vania presented  a  communication  stating  that  all  the  difficulties 
in  that  reservation  had  been  amicably  adjusted,  and  that  matters 
were  now  being  conducted  in  a  harmonious  manner. 

In  accordance  with  its  own  request  the  Committee  on  Revi- 
sion was  discharged. 

The  Committee  on  procuring  a  charter  plate  reported  that 
they  had  been  unable  to  procure  a  design,  as  no  appropriation 
had  been  made  by  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  to  carry  out  the  vote  under 
which  the  Committee  was  appointed,  and  the  report  was  accepted 
and  the  Committee  discharged.. 

A  proposition  by  George  Percy  that  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States  take  into  consideration  the  propriety  or  impro- 
priety of  having  the  facts  of  the  rise  and  progress  and  present 


302 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN, 


condition  of  the  Order  published  for  the  use  of  the  members  of 
the  Order  throughout  the  United  States  was  rejected. 

Had  the  action  proposed  by  Brother  Percy,  having  in  view 
the  collection  of  facts  in  relation  to  the  origin  and  history  of  the 
Order,  been  adopted,  the  task  of  the  compilers  of  this  history 
would  have  been  much  easier  and  possibly  unnecessary.  All 
disputed  points  could  have  been  decided  by  the  testimony  of 
those  who  organized  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  and  who 
if  not  members  of,  were  fully  conversant  with,  the  societies  of 
Red  Men  that  existed,  down  to  a  short  time  at  least,  previous  to 
1834.  Many  important  documents  then  in  existence  were  after- 
wards lost,  and  have  never  since  been  found,  their  mysterious 
disappearance  indicating  design  rather  than  accident  on  the  part 
of  those  responsible  therefor. 

The  Great  Council  proceeded  to  the  election  of  great  chiefs, 
who  were  duly  elected  and  raised  up  to  their  respective  posi- 
tions. The  elected  and  appointed  chiefs  for  the  ensuing  grand 
sun  were  as  follows  :  — 


W.  G.  Incohonee, 

W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore, 

W.  G.  Junior  Sagamore, 

W.  G.  Prophet, 

W.  G.  Chief  of  Records, 

W.  G.  Keeper  of  Wampum, 

W.  G.  Tocakon, 

W.  G.  Minewa, 


GEORGE  A.  PETER,  P.  G.  S.,  Ohio. 

WILLIAM  R.  BURNS,  P.  G.  S.,  New  Jersey. 

JOHN  H.  BARLOW,  Kentucky. 

J.  EDWARDS,  Pennsylvania. 

JOHN  L.  BOOKER,  Maryland. 

WILLIAM  G.  GORSUCH,  P.  G.  I.,  Maryland. 

JOSEPH  PYLE,  Delaware. 

DAVID  SIEGLE,  Virginia. 


All  amendments  to  the  Constitution  were  postponed  for  one 
grand  sun,  and  a  committee  of  five  was  appointed  to  revise  the 
Constitution,  By-laws,  and  Rules  of  Order. 

The  vexing  question  of  a  proper  ceremonial  for  the  Order  was 
temporarily  disposed  of  by  the  offer  of  a  premium  for  a  satis- 
factory ritual,  to  be  competed  for  only  by  members  of  the 
Order. 

The  following  preamble  and  resolutions  were  presented  and 
adopted.  They  are  self-explanatory  and  indicate  a  desire,  even 
forty  great  suns  ago,  to  unite  under  one  head  all  bodies  of  Red 
Men  in  the  United  States. 


"  Whereas,  From  information  received,  it  appears  that  there  are  certain 
Tribes  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Red  Men,  located  in  the  city  of  Reading,  Pa., 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.  303 

who  are  desirous  of  becoming  connected  with  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men,  but  who  under  existing  laws  are  disabled  from  so  doing,  inasmuch  as 
they  at  present  are  compelled  to  pay  percentage  on  all  money  at  present  in 
their  wampum  belt,  therefore, 

"Resolved,  That  the  G.  C.  of  Pa.  be  and  is  hereby  authorized  to  make 
overtures  to  them  looking  to  their  connection  with  our  Order. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  G.  C.  of  Pa.  be  authorized  to  grant  them  a  Charter, 
and  confer  the  degrees  upon  all  who  are  at  present  in  the  possession  of  the 
degrees  in  their  own  body,  on  application  for  the  same  and  the  payment  of 
the  Charter  fee." 

Representative  George  Percy  seems  to  have  been  undismayed 
by  his  former  unsuccessful  attempt  to  induce  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  to 
adopt  a  degree  for  the  female  relatives  of  brothers  of  the  Order. 
He  again  submitted  the  proposition  ;  but  the  Great  Council  re- 
fused to  listen  to  the  brother,  and  laid  his  motion  upon  the 
table. 

The  above  motion  is  the  second  mention  or  intimation  of  a 
desire  to  establish  a  branch  of  the  Order  into  which  could  be 
admitted  the  female  relatives  and  friends  of  members.  It  was 
not  until  33  great  suns  later  that  the  law  was  adopted  that 
established  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas,  now  recognized  as  a  very 
valuable  adjunct  to  our  Order. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  procure  a  design  for  a  charter 
and  report  at  the  next  council,  it  being  afterwards  decided  to 
take  the  design  on  the  travelling  card  and  enlarge  it  to  a  suit- 
able size,  and  print  a  sufficient  number  of  copies  to  supply  the 
Order. 

A  -committee  was  appointed  to  make  application  to  the 
Legislature  of  Maryland  for  an  act  of  incorporation  for  the 
G.  C.  U.  S. 

1854. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Osceola 
wigwam,  Baltimore,  Md.,  at  the  loth  run  of  the  I2th  sun,  Corn 
moon,  G.  S.  5614,  W.  G.  Incohonee  George  A.  Peter  presiding. 

Among  the  Representatives  admitted  at  this  council  for  the 
first  time  were  Andrew  J.  Baker,  of  Pennsylvania,  and  Daniel 
W.  Carter,  of  Delaware,  each  of  whom  afterwards  became  Great 
Incohonee. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  Representatives  pres- 
ent from  the  Great  Councils  of  Maryland,  District  of  Columbia, 


304  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED   MEN. 

Ohio,  Virginia,  Kentucky,  Pennsylvania,  and  New  Jersey,  and 
from  Tribes  in  Delaware. 

From  the  longtalk  of  the  Great  Incohonee,  we  present  the 
following  summary  :  — 

He  congratulated  the  Great  Council  on  the  continued  increase 
and  prosperity  of  the  Order.  It  had  reached  the  banks  of  the 
Mississippi,  and  was  speeding  on  towards  the  Pacific  coast. 
Eight  Tribes,  one  Degree  Council,  and  one  Great  Council  had 
been  organized  during  the  grand  sun.  Three  additional  States 
were  included  among  the  Tribes  referred  to,  namely,  Indiana  by 
Seneca,  No.  I,  at  Metamora,  3d  sun  Snow  moon,  G.  S.  5614 
(February  3,  1854) ;  Illinois  by  Pocahontas,  No.  i,  at  Paris, 
1st  sun,  Worm  moon,  G.  S.  5614  (March  I,  1854);  Iowa  by 
Camanche,  No.  I,  Dubuque,  5th  sun  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  5614 
(June  5,  1854). 

The  Great  Council  of  Kentucky  was  instituted  at  Newport  on 
the  Qth  sleep  of  Sturgeon  moon,  G.  S.  5614  (August  9,  1854). 
Great  Sachem  George  W.  Ford,  elected  at  this  time,  afterwards 
became  ninth  Great  Incohonee  ,of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

He  had  appointed  Past  Sachem  A.  Curry  Vice  Great  Inco- 
honee of  California,  with  power  to  establish  two  Tribes ;  but  the 
project  had  fallen  through  because  of  inability  to  forward  the 
necessary  supplies. 

He  mentioned  the  receipt  of  an  application  from  Lafayette, 
Oregon,  for  a  Tribe  at  that  place ;  but  the  organization  had  not 
been  perfected,  for  want  of  a  competent  brother  in  that  locality 
to  do  the  work. 

He  referred  to  another  attempt  to  establish  the  Order  in 
New  York  by  the  institution  of  Metamora  Tribe  at  New  York 
City. 

The  longtalk  also  expressed  regret  that  the  council  fire  of 
Osceola  Tribe,  No.  I,  of  North  Carolina,  had  become  extinct. 

The  question  of  a  charter  plate  for  Great  Councils,  and  subor- 
dinate branches  of  the  Order,  was  finally  settled  at  this  council 
by  the  adoption  of  the  design  now  in  use  for  travelling  cards, 
suitably  enlarged  and  filled. 

The  action  of  the  W.  G.  Incohonee  in  establishing  Tribes  as 
reported  in  his  longtalk  was  approved,  and  charters  granted  to 
the  respective  Tribes  and  to  the  Great  Council  of  Kentucky. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED   STATES.  305 

A  form  of  raising  up  of  chiefs  was  adopted. 

A  committee  of  three  was  appointed  for  the  purpose  of  form- 
ing a  general  recognition  sign  for  this  Order  and  report,  if  pos- 
sible, at  the  present  council. 

A  form  for  raising  up  of  chiefs  for  State  Great  Councils  was 
presented  and  adopted.  The  chiefs  for  the  ensuing  grand  sun 
elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  were  as  follows  :  — 

W.  G.  Incohonee,  WM.  R.  BURNS,  P.  G.  S.,      New  Jersey. 

W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore,  JOHN  T.  BRADLEY,  P.  G.  S.,  District  of  Columbia. 

W.  G.  Junior  Sagamore,  J.  EDWARDS,  Pennsylvania. 

W.  G.  Prophet,  JOSEPH  PYLE,  Delaware. 

W.  G.  Chief  of  Records,  JOHN  L.  BOOKER,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Keeper  of  Wampum,  WM.  G.  GORSUCH,  P.  G.  I.,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Tocakon,  C.  C.  MILLS,  District  of  Columbia. 

W.  G.  Minewa,  C.  S.  SMINCK,  New  York. 

Arrangements  were  made  for  providing  suitable  regalia  and 
emblems  for  the  chiefs  and  members  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  and  for 
printing  and  issuing  proper  forms  for  reports  from  State  Great 
Councils  and  Tribes  working  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction 
of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  and  of  the  form  for  raising  up  of  chiefs  of 
State  Great  Councils. 

From  the  statistical  reports  from  Tribes  and  Great  Councils, 
as  presented  by  the  Great  Chief  of  Records,  we  gather  the 
following  information,  the  reports  from  the  Great  Councils  of 
the  District  of  Columbia,  Ohio,  and  from  Tribes  in  Illinois  not 
being  included  through  informality.  From  the  returns  made 
we  find,  that  the  number  of  Tribes  was  94;  initiations,  1767; 
admitted  by  card,  102 ;  suspensions,  480 ;  expulsions,  65  ;  with- 
drawn by  card,  no;  deaths,  51  ;  members,  6251  ;  expended  for 
relief  of  brothers,  9798  fathoms  ;  expended  for  relief  of  widows, 
4661  fathoms  5  feet ;  expended  for  the  education  of  orphans, 
434  fathoms  5  feet. 

1855- 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Osceola 
wigwam,  Baltimore,  Md.,  at  the  loth  run  of  the  nth  sun,  Corn 
moon,  G.  S.  5615,  W.  G.  Incohonee,  William  R.  Burns  presiding. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  a  representation 
present  from  the  Great  Councils  of  Virginia,  Pennsylvania, 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED   MEN. 

New  York,  Maryland,  Ohio,  District  of  Columbia,  and  Kentucky, 
and  from  Tribes  in  Delaware  and  New  York. 

Among  the  Representatives  admitted  for  the  first  time  at 
this  council  may  be  mentioned  Morris  H.  Gorham  of  Penn- 
sylvania, Paxon  Coats  of  Ohio,  and  George  W.  Ford  of 
Kentucky,  each  of  whom  afterwards  became  Great  Incohonee 
of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

In  the  longtalk  of  the  W.  G.  Incohonee  presented  at  this 
council,  we  find  the  following :  — 

He  recorded  the  institution  of  Cherokee  Tribe,  No.  4,  at 
Edinburg,  and  Miami  Tribe,  No.  5,  at  Franklin,  Indiana,  and 
the  institution  of  the  Great  Council  of  Indiana,  on  the  nth  of 
Flower  moon,  G.  S.  5615  (May  u,  1855). 

Permission  had  been  granted  to  Seneca  Tribe,  No.  i,  to 
change  the  hunting  grounds  of  the  Tribe  from  Metamora  to 
Brookville,  Indiana. 

Camanche  Tribe,  No.  I,  of  Dubuque,  Iowa,  had  ceased  to 
work,  and  its  books  and  property  had  been  surrendered  to  the 
G.  C.  U.  S. 

He  expressed  hope  that  with  a  revival  of  business,  friends  in 
the  Eastern  States  with  whom  he  had  corresponded,  would  be 
able  to  establish  the  Order  in  their  section. 

The  question  of  a  proper  ritual  for  the  Order  seems  still  to 
have  bothered  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  for  we  find  that  the  committee 
on  that  subject  selected  at  a  previous  council  made  a  report 
which  was  received  and  laid  upon  the  table. 

By  a  supplementary  report  of  the  Committee  on  Credentials, 
Past  Great  Sachem  George  W.  Lindsay,  of  Maryland,  was  ad- 
mitted for  the  first  time.  He  afterwards  became  Great  In- 
cohonee. 

Provision  was  made  for  printing  and  distributing  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  from  its  organization. 

The  great  chiefs  for  the  ensuing  grand  sun  were  elected  and 
appointed  and  raised  up  as  follows  :  — 

W.  G.  Incohonee,  GEORGE  W.  FORD,  P.  G.  S.,  Kentucky. 

W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore,  JOSEPH  BARTON,  P.  G.  S.,  Pennsylvania. 

W.  G.  Junior  Sagamore,  C.  S.  SMIXCK,  New  York. 

W.  G.  Prophet,  J.  W.  McNELL,  Virginia. 

W- G- Chief  of  Records,  JOHN  L.  BOOKER,  Maryland. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.  307 

W.  G.  Keeper  of  Wampum,        WILLIAM  G.  GORSUCH,  P.G.  I.,  Maryland. 
W.  G.  Tocakon,  PAXON  COATS,  Ohio. 

W.  G.  Minewa,  J.  P.  A.  ENTLER,  Virginia. 

A  charter  was  granted  for  the  Great  Council  of  Indiana, 
whose  institution  was  referred  to  in  the  longtalk  of  the  W.  G. 
Incohonee.  A  revised  Constitution  submitted  by  the  committee 
appointed  at  the  previous  council  was  finally  laid  upon  the 
table. 

From  the  statistical  reports  from  Great  Councils,  as  presented 
by  Great  Chiefs  of  Records,  we  learn  there  were  102  -Tribes ; 
initiations,  1539;  admitted  by  card,  461;  suspensions,  457; 
expulsions,  159;  withdrawn  by  card,  84;  deaths,  87;  number 
of  members,  7220.  Maryland  still  held  the  lead,  with  20  Tribes 
and  2635  members,  with  Pennsylvania  a  close  second,  with  24 
Tribes  and  1676  members.  The  amount  expended  for  relief  of 
brothers  was  11,318  fathoms  5  feet;  expended  for  relief  of 
widows,  3360  fathoms  3  feet  6  inches  ;  expended  for  the  educa- 
tion of  orphans,  302  fathoms  8  feet  2  inches. 

1856. 

The  council  fire  was  kindled  at  Red  Men's  Hall,  Baltimore, 
Md.,  at  the  loth  run,  9th  sun,  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  5616,  P.  G.  I. 
Hugh  Latham  presiding  in  the  temporary  absence  of  the  W.  G. 
Incohonee,  George  W.  Ford,  who  entered  immediately  after  the 
kindling  of  the  council  fire. 

At  this  council  Missouri  was  represented  for  the  first  time, 
by  James  O.  Alter,  of  Hiawatha  Tribe,  No.  i,  St.  Louis. 

The  W.  G.  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk,  which  among 
other  things  mentioned  the  following  :  — 

The  past  grand  sun  had  been  one  of  peace  and  quiet,  of  plenty 
and  prosperity.  Our  hunting  grounds  had  been  largely  ex- 
tended, they  now  reaching  far  into  the  Sunny  South,  and  the 
mighty  West  drawing  nearer  every  sun.  Missouri  in  the  West 
and  Louisiana  in  the  South  were  now  numbered  with  the  chosen 
Red  Men  of  the  forest.  V.  G.  I.  Joseph  Pyle  reported  the 
institution  of  Cherokee  Tribe,  No.  4,  of  Wilmington,  Del.,  and 
of  the  Great  Council  of  Delaware  on  the  igth  of  Hunting  moon, 
G.  S.  5616  (December  19,  1856). 


308  IMPROVED   ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

In  person  he  had  instituted  Osyka  Tribe,  No.  i,  at  New 
Orleans,  La.,  on  the  I2th  sleep  of  Beaver  moon,  G.  S.  5615 
(November  12,  1855),  and  Hiawatha  Tribe,  No.  i,  at  St.  Louis, 
Mo.,  on  the  nth  sleep  of  Worm  moon,  G.  S.  5616  (March  u, 
1856). 

He  referred  to  the  cost  of  instituting  Tribes  as  being  a  bar 
to  growth,  and  recommended  action  that  would  remove  the 
obstacle. 

He  had  received  correspondence  from  Kansas  and  Texas 
about  the  Order,  but  no  Tribe  had  yet  resulted  therefrom. 

A  resolution  was  presented  and  referred  to  the  Committee  on 
the  State  of  the  Order,  suggesting  a  card  for  the  wives  of  Red 
Men.  The  Committee  reported  that  the  important  and  grave 
changes  necessary  in  the  work  of  the  Order,  if  the  proposition 
should  be  adopted,  made  it  inexpedient. 

Charters  were  granted  to  the  various  Tribes  organized  during 
the  past  grand  sun  and  to  the  Great  Council  of  Delaware. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  revise  the  laws  regulating  the 
regalia  of  the  Order,  and  define  more  clearly  the  emblems  of 
the  various  chiefs. 

The  committee  subsequently  made  a  report  recommending 
sash,  belt,  and  apron,  with  distinguishing  jewels,  and  in  the  five 
colors,  —  purple,  scarlet,  blue,  orange,  and  green,  according  to 
rank.  The  report  was  adopted. 

The  Great  Council  accepted  an  invitation  to  participate  in 
the  ceremonies  attending  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  the 
new  Custom  House,  Wheeling,  Va.  (now  W.  Va.). 

Chiefs  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  for  the  ensuing  grand  sun  were 
elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  as  follows  :  — 

W.  G.  Incohonee,  Louis  BONSAL,  P.  G.  S.,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore,  DANIEL  W.  CARTER,  P.  G.  S.,  Delaware. 

W.  G.  Junior  Sagamore,  CHRIS.  WEISTENBERG,  P.  G.  S.,  Pennsylvania. 

W.  G.  Prophet,  JOHN  W.  McNELL,  Virginia. 

W.  G.  Chief  of  Records,  JOHN  L.  BOOKER,  P.  G.  S.,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Keeper  of  Wampum,  WM.  G.  GORSUCH,  P.  G.  I.,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Tocakon,  A.  BRITTON,  Pennsylvania. 

W.  G.  Minewa,  JAMES  O.  ALTER,  Missouri. 

A  new  constitution  for  the  Great  Council  was  considered  in 
Committee  of  the  Whole  and  adopted. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.          309 

The  special  Committee  on  Revision  of  Ritual  having  reported 
against  any  change,  the  report  was  accepted  and  the  committee 
was  discharged ;  but  the  question  of  a  proper  ritual  seems  to 
have  been  still  undecided,  for  the  Great  Council  adopted  resolu- 
tions offering  a  premium  for  a  ritual  of  three  degrees. 

Arrangements  were  made  for  printing  and  promulgating  the 
Constitution  adopted  at  this  council. 

From  the  reports  of  State  Great  Councils  to  the  G.  C.  U.  S., 
we  find  that  the  number  of  Tribes  was  99;  initiations,  1596; 
suspensions,  734;  expulsions,  159;  deaths,  59;  admitted  by 
card,  53;  withdrawn  by  card,  50;  number  of  members,  7953; 
total  amount  expended  for  relief  of  brothers,  10,417  fathoms  and 
75  inches  ;  expended  for  relief  of  widows,  3803  fathoms  and  25 
inches;  expended  for  education  of  orphans,  321  fathoms  75 
inches. 

1857. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Red  Men's 
Hall,  Baltimore,  Md.,  at  the  gth  run  of  the  8th  sun,  Corn 
moon,  G.  S.  5617,  W.  G.  Incohonee  Louis  Bonsai  presiding. 

Representatives  from  the  Great  Councils  of  Maryland,  Ohio, 
Virginia,  Kentucky,  and  Delaware  were  admitted  and  instructed. 
Among  those  thus  admitted  for  the  first  time  was  Past  Great 
Sachem  A.  J.  Francis,  who  afterwards  became  Great  Incohonee 
of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  W.  G.  Incohonee  presented  his  longtalk,  which  among 
other  things  mentioned  the  following  :  — 

After  congratulating  the  Great  Council  upon  the  command- 
ing position  which  the  Order  was  assuming,  he  referred  to  the 
legislation  that  would  engage  the  attention  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 
Among  those  prominent  in  importance  was  the  old,  but  ever 
new,  question  of  a  proper  ritual  for  the  Order.  An  attempt  had 
been  made  to  adjust  difficulties  existing  in  the  Great  Council  of 
the  District  of  Columbia,  and  while  this  seemed  at  one  time  to 
approach  success,  subsequent  events  proved  that  desirable  result 
more  than  dubious.  He  reported  the  organization  of  another 
Tribe  at  St.  Louis.  The  Great  Council  of  Indiana  had  ceased 
to  exist,  and  what  Tribes  remained  were  placed  under  the  imme- 
diate jurisdiction  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 


310  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

The  Order  had  become  extinct  in  Iowa  in  the  preceding  grand 
sun. 

The  committee  upon  the  subject  of  ritual,  appointed  at  the 
previous  council,  reported,  but  presented  nothing  definite,  and 
was  discharged. 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the  follow- 
ing grand  sun  were  as  follows  :  — 

W.  G.  Incohonee,  DANIEL  W.  CARTER,  P.  G.  S.,    Delaware. 

W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore,  J.  H.  TATSAPAUGH,  Virginia. 

W.  G.  Junior  Sagamore,  J.  EDWARDS,  Pennsylvania. 

W.  G.  Prophet,  A.  J.  FRANCIS.  P.  G.  S.,  Kentucky. 

W.  G.  Chief  of  Records,  JOHN  L.  BOOKER,  P.  G.  S.,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Keeper  of  Wampum,    W.  G.  GORSUCH,  P.  G.  I.,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Tocakon,  A.  S.  WALTON,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Minewa,  JNO.  F.  METZ,  Pennsylvania. 

The  Great  Council  voted  to  participate  in  a  body  in  the  pro- 
cession to  be  held  at  Lancaster,  Pa.,  on  the  2ist  Travelling  moon, 
G.  S.  5617  (October  21,  1857). 

Another  committee  on  ritual  was  appointed  to  report  at  the 
next  council. 

The  record  for  this  grand  sun  contains  no  statistical  reports 
from  the  respective  Great  Councils. 

1858. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Red  Men's 
Hall,  Baltimore,  Md.,  at  the  loth  run  of  the  I4th  sun,  Corn 
moon,  G.  S.  5618,  P.  G.  I.  Hugh  Latham  presiding  in  the  tem- 
porary absence  of  the  W.  G.  Incohonee.  W.  G.  Incohonee 
Carter  subsequently  entered  and  assumed  his  position. 

Among  the  Representatives  admitted  at  this  council  for  the 
first  time,  were  George  B.  Colflesh  of  Maryland,  William  B. 
Eckert,  of  Pennsylvania,  and  Joshua  Maris,  of  Delaware,  each 
of  whom  afterwards  became  Great  Incohonee  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  great  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the 
ensuing  grand  sun  were  as  follows  :  — 

W.  G.  Incohonee,  PAXON  COATS,  P.  G.  S.,  Ohio. 

W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore,  JOSEPH  PYLE,  Delaware. 

W.  G.  Junior  Sagamore,  A.  S.  WHITE,  New  Jersey. 

W.  G.  Prophet,  GEO.  R.  COFFROTH,  P.  G.  S.,  Virginia. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.          311 

W.  G.  Chief  of  Records,  JOHN  L.  BOOKER,  P.  G.  S.,  Maryland. 
W.  G.  Keeper  of  Wampum,  WILLIAM  G.  GORSUCH,  P.  G.  I.,  Maryland. 
W.  G.  Tocakon,  GEORGE  P.  OLIVER,  Pennsylvania. 

W.  G.  Minevva,  J.  D.  RADCLIFFE,  North  Carolina. 

The  W.  G.  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk. 

He  referred  to  the  financial  panic  of  1857  as  affecting  the 
growth  and  prosperity  of  the  Order.  He  mentioned  efforts 
made  to  revive  the  Order  in  Indiana,  and  the  continued  dif- 
ficulties in  the  District  of  Columbia.  The  efforts  to  keep  the 
Order  alive  in  the  State  of  New  York  had  again  been  unsuccess- 
ful, and  the  extinction  of  the  Tribes  there  had  followed.  A  new 
Tribe  had  been  instituted  in  North  Carolina,  and  the  Order  was 
reported  as  in  good  condition  in  Louisiana  and  Missouri,  an 
application  for  a  charter  for  a  Great  Council  in  the  latter  State 
being  among  the  probabilities  of  the  near  future. 

He  reported  the  organization  of  the  first  Tribe  ever  organized 
in  the  New  England  States,  Narragansett  Tribe,  No.  i,  at  Hart- 
ford, Conn.,  which  was  instituted  by  great  Chief  of  Records 
John  L.  Booker,  on  the  igth  sleep  of  Buck  moon,  G.  S.  5617 
(July  19,  1857). 

He  called  attention  to  the  new  work  which  the  Committee  on 
Ritual  had  prepared,  and  which  was  ready  for  the  action  of  the 
G.  C.  U.  S. 

Narragansett  Tribe,  No.  I,  of  Hartford,  Conn.,  above  referred 
to  in  the  longtalk  of  the  W.  G.  Incohonee,  had  a  fitful  existence 
for  a  short  time,  and  then  its  council  fire  became  extinct. 

The  ever-present  question  of  the  ritual  again  engaged  the 
attention  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  Upon  the  report  of  the  special 
committee  appointed  at  the  previous  council,  that  but  one  work 
had  been  received  by  the  committee  for  consideration,  and  they 
felt  constrained  to  report  against  its  adoption,  it  was  voted 
again  to  offer  a  premium  for  a  satisfactory  ritual. 

Southerland's  Manual  was  adopted  as  a  standard  of  parlia- 
mentary law  for  the  use  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

From  the  statistical  reports  from  State  Great  Councils  and 
Tribes,  we  glean  the  following  information:  Number  of  Tribes, 
105;  initiations,  1437;  rejections,  136;  suspensions,  520;  ex- 
pulsions, 138;  reinstated,  18  ;  admitted  by  card,  424  withdrawn 
by  card,  68;  died,  71  ;  number  of  members,  7742;  amount  ex- 


312  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

pended  for  relief  of  brothers,  13,503  fathoms  25  inches;  ex- 
pended for  widows  and  orphans,  5640  fathoms  75  inches ; 
expended  for  education,  863  fathoms  50  inches. 

During  the  grand  sun,  13  Tribes  had  been  instituted,  and  19 
had  become  defunct.  Of  the  latter  number,  1 1  were  in  the 
reservation  of  Pennsylvania,  in  which  some  unfortunate  dissen- 
sions had  arisen  that  left  this  baneful  imprint  upon  the  pros- 
perity of  the  Order  in  that  State.  Appended  to  the  proceedings 
for  this  grand  sun,  is  a  complete  list  of  the  105  Tribes  in  exist- 
ence at  this  time  in  the  States  of  Maryland,  Pennsylvania, 
Kentucky,  Virginia,  Ohio,  New  Jersey,  Delaware,  Louisiana, 
Missouri,  Mississippi,  Connecticut,  and  North  Carolina,  and  in 
the  District  of  Columbia. 

1859. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Red 
Men's  Hall,  Baltimore,  Md.,  at  the  9th  run  of  the  I4th  sun, 
Corn  moon,  G.  S.  5619,  W.  G.  Incohonee  Paxon  Coats  pre- 
siding. 

Representatives  were  present  from  Maryland,  Pennsylvania, 
Virginia,  Ohio,  New  Jersey,  Delaware,  and  Kentucky. 

A  Committee  on  Ceremonial  was  appointed  to  consider  a  new 
ritual  that  had  been  received  by  the  Great  Chief  of  Records. 

The  W.  G.  Incohonee  presented  his  longtalk,  which,  among 
other  things,  referred  to  the  following :  — 

He  stated  the  condition  of  the  Order  in  the  various  reserva- 
tions, Pennsylvania  standing  at  the  head,  with  an  increase  of 
five  Tribes  and  1008  members.  He  reported  the  institution  of 
the  Great  Council  of  Missouri  in  a  somewhat  informal  man- 
ner by  the  V.  G.  Incohonee  of  that  State,  on  the  i8th  Hunt- 
ing moon,  G.  S.  5618  (December  18,  1858).  In  the  State  of 
Indiana,  Cherokee  Tribe,  No.  4,  of  Edinburg,  had  been  re- 
suscitated with  bright  prospects  for  future  success.  A  new 
Tribe  in  the  same  State,  Camanche  Tribe,  No.  7,  had  been 
instituted  at  Dearborn.  He  had  received  the  charter  and  other 
effects  of  Camanche  Tribe,  No.  i,  Dubuque,  Iowa.  He  also 
made  official-  report  of  the  institution  of  Natchez  Tribe,  No.  I, 
of  Natchez,  Miss.,  and  of  Minnehaha  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  St.  Louis, 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.          313 

which  had  not  been  reported  at  the  previous  council  of  the 
G.  C.  U.  S. 

A  special  committee  of  three  was  appointed  to  carry  out  the 
•provisions  of  a  series  of  resolutions  to  the  effect  that  a  special 
committee  of  three  be  appointed  to  report  during  the  present 
session:  ist.  The  date  of  the  Institution  and  Constitution  of 
the  Order  in  the  hunting  grounds  of  the  palefaces.  2d.  The 
date  of  the  Institution  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States. 
3d.  Such  other  statistics  of  the  Order  as  the  committee  may 
deem  pertinent. 

In  this  same  connection,  later  in  the  council,  the  Special 
Committee  was  authorized  to  purchase  the  "  Muster  Roll,"  con- 
taining the  names  of  the  founders  of  the  Order  of  Red  Men  at 
Fort  Mifflin  ;  and  such  other  documents  relative  to  the  origin 
and  history  thereof  as  they  may  deem  worthy  of  preservation, 
to  be  placed  in  the  archives  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States. 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the  ensu- 
ing grand  sun  were  as  follows  :  — 

W.  G.  Incohonee,  ANDREW  J.  BAKER,  P.  G.  S.,  Pennsylvania. 

W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore,  JAMES  N.  TYRACK,  Kentucky. 

W.  G.  Junior  Sagamore,  E.  L.  LUNSFORD,  P.  G.  S.,  Virginia. 

W.  G.  Prophet,  JOHN  M.  REUTER,  Missouri. 

W.  G.  Chief  of  Records,  JOHN  L.  BOOKER,  P.  G.  S.,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Keeper  of  Wampum,  WM.  G.  GORSUCH,  P.  G.  I.,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Tocakon,  W.  F.  WEHL,  Delaware. 

W.  G.  Minewa,  WILLIAM  KINER,  New  Jersey. 

The  Special  Committee  on  Ceremonial  reported  in  favor  of  a 
ritual  which  had  been  presented  by  Brother  John  Esten  Cook, 
of  Richmond,  Va. 

The  report  was  adopted,  and  it  was  ordered  that  the  new 
ritual  go  into  operation  on  the  ist  sun  of  Cold  moon,  G.  S. 
5620  (January  i,  1860).  Arrangements  were  made  for  printing 
and  distributing  the  new  ritual. 

From  the  statistical  reports  from  State  Great  Councils  and 
Tribes  to  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  we  obtain  the  following  information  : 
Number  of  Tribes,  115;  initiations,  1822;  rejections,  124; 
suspensions,  831  ;  reinstated,  55  ;  admitted  by  card,  no;  with- 
drawn by  card,  78;  expulsions,  381  ;  died,  71  ;  number  of  mem- 


314  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

bers,  9266 ;  Tribes  instituted,  7 ;  Tribes  defunct,  6 ;  amount 
expended  for  relief  of  brothers,  13,311  fathoms;  expended  for 
widows  and  orphans,  3373  fathoms  25  inches ;  expended  for 
education,  419  fathoms  5  feet. 

1860. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Red  Men's 
Hall,  Baltimore,  Md.,  at  the  gth  run  of  the  I  ith  sun,  Corn  moon, 
G.  S.  5620,  W.  G.  Incohonee  Andrew  J.  Baker  presiding. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  Representatives 
present  from  Maryland,  Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  Ohio,  New 
Jersey,  Missouri,  Kentucky,  Delaware,  and  the  District  of 
Columbia. 

The  longtalk  submitted  by  the  W.  G.  Incohonee  was  a  much 
more  comprehensive  document  than  had  hitherto  been  given  by 
the  presiding  chief  of  the  Great  Council.  It  gave  a  complete 
and  detailed  account  of  his  efforts  to  bring  the  work  and  litera- 
ture of  the  Order  into  harmonious  symmetry,  and  the  results 
secured.  Among  the  matters  touched  upon  may  be  mentioned 
the  following :  — 

He  reported  a  preliminary  organization  for  a  Great  Council 
in  Louisiana  on  the  5th  sun  of  Snow  moon,  G.  S.  5620  (Febru- 
ary 5,  1860). 

Arrangements  had  been  made  for  collecting  the  charters  and 
private  work  of  the  Tribes  in  North  Carolina,  which  had  ceased 
to  work.  Illinois  had  been  brought  into  line  once  more  by  the 
organization  of  a  Tribe  at  Nashville,  Washington  County.  He 
detailed  several  visitations  made  by  him  in  the  reservations  of 
Ohio,  Kentucky,  Virginia,  Maryland,  and  Delaware.  He  re- 
ported that  the  new  ritual  had  not  met  with  the  general  appro- 
bation hoped  for,  but  still  by  a  large  majority  of  the  members 
was  preferred  to  the  old  one.  He  recommended  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  competent  committee  to  revise  the  whole  ritual  of 
the  Order. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  submitted  a  written  report  de- 
tailing the  routine  of  work  of  his  chieftaincy  during  the  grand 
sun.  Accompanying  this  was  the  statistical  report  of  State 
Great  Councils  and  Tribes,  the  reports  of  three  Tribes  being 
missing.  From  these  reports,  we  glean  the  following  :  Num- 


ANDREW   J.    BAKER. 


JOSEPH   PYLE. 


ADAM   SMITH. 


GEORGE  W.   LINDSAY. 

PAST  -GREAT   INCOHONEES. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES. 


315 


her  of  Tribes,  94;  initiations,  1559;  suspensions,  683;  expul- 
sions, 82  ;  rejections,  72  ;  admitted  by  card,  123  ;  withdrawn  by 
card,  120;  died,  57;  number  of  members,  9096;  expended  for 
relief  of  brothers,  1 5,065  fathoms  ;  expended  for  relief  of  widows, 
7890  fathoms  ;  expended  for  education,  440  fathoms. 

An  invitation  was  accepted  to  attend  a  celebration  given 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Great  Council  of  Pennsylvania  at 
Philadelphia  on  the  23d  sun  of  Flower  moon,  G.  S.  5621  (May 
23,  1861). 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the 
ensuing  great  sun  were  as  follows  :  — 

RICHARD  MARLEY,  P.  G.  S.,  Maryland. 

R.  M.  HAYES,  Ohio. 

JOSHUA  MARTS,  Delaware. 

ABRAM  F.  HAAS,  Pennsylvania. 

JOHN  L.  BOOKER,  P.  G.  S.,  Maryland. 

WM.  G.  GORSUCH,  P.  G.  I.,  Maryland. 

JOHN  D.  MOORE,  New  Jersey. 

S.  RIANHARD,  Delaware. 


W.  G.  Incohonee, 

W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore, 

W.  G.  Junior  Sagamore, 

W.  G.  Prophet, 

W.  G.  Chief  of  Records, 

W.  G.  Keeper  of  Wampum, 

W.  G.  Tocakon, 

W.  G.  Minewa, 


It  was  voted  that  a  committee  of  five  be  appointed  to  procure 
an  act  of  incorporation  from  the  State  of  Maryland  for  the 
G.  C.  U.  S. 

A  form  for  kindling  and  quenching  the  council  fire  of  State 
Great  Councils  was  adopted. 

The  committee  appointed  to  make  inquiry  into  the  date  of 
the  introduction  of  the  Order,  etc.,  not  being  prepared  to  report, 
it  was  voted  that  the  committee  be  continued  until  the  next 
Corn  moon  council. 

A  special  committee  of  three  was  ordered,  as  advised  by 
W.  G.  Incohonee  Baker  in  his  longtalk,  to  revise  the  entire  ritual 
of  the  Order  and  report  at  the  next  council  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  was  authorized  to  procure  photo- 
graphs of  all  P.  G.  Incohonees,  and  to  have  them  suitably 
framed  and  placed  in  the  office  of  the  Great  Chief  of  Records. 

A  duplicate  charter  for  the  Great  Council  of  Ohio  was  granted 
to  replace  the  original,  which  had  been  lost. 

1861. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Red  Men's 
Hall,  Baltimore,  Md.,  at  the  gt\i  run  of  the  loth  sun,  Corn 


316  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

moon,  G.  S.  5621,  W.  G.  Incohonee  Richard  Marley  pre- 
siding. 

Among  the  Representatives  admitted  for  the  first  time  at  this 
council  were  Angus  Cameron  and  William  B.  Eckert  of  Penn- 
sylvania, each  of  whom  afterwards  became  Great  Incohonee  of 
the  G.  C.  U.  S.  Representatives  were  admitted  from  the  Great 
Councils  of  Maryland,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  New  Jersey,  Mis- 
souri, Kentucky,  and  Delaware. 

The  longtalk  submitted  by  the  W.  G.  Incohonee  referred  to 
the  disturbed  political  condition  of  the  country  at  this  time, 
but  in  a  tone  which  proved  that  the  spirit  of  fraternity  rose 
above  sectional  strife,  and  that,  though  divided  politically  by 
the  events  of  that  unfortunate  period  in  the  history  of  our 
country,  the  hearts  of  all  true  Red  Men  were  united  without 
regard  to  locality. 

The  longtalk  of  the  W.  G.  Incohonee  gave  a  report  of  his 
acts  in  establishing  the  Order  at  Richmond,  Ind.,  and  the 
gathering  in  of  the  books  and  other  property  of  Tribes  that 
had  become  extinct  in  various  reservations.  It  also  gave  the 
decisions  rendered.  He  complained  of  the  meagre  returns  re- 
ceived from  the  V.  G.  Incohonees  owing  to  the  troubled  condi- 
tion of  the  country.  Concerning  the  only  Tribe  in  New 
England,  he  said  that  understanding  that  the  Great  Chief  of 
Records  was  to  visit  one  of  the  Eastern  States,  he  requested 
him  to  extend  his  journey  to  Hartford,  Conn.,  for  the  purpose 
of  obtaining  the  Work,  etc.,  of  Narragansett  Tribe,  No.  i.  He 
succeeded  in  obtaining  the  Work  of  the  Order,  but  in  con- 
sequence of  the  late  Chief  of  Records  of  the  Tribe  removing 
to  Massachusetts  he  could  not  obtain  the  Ledger  and  Journal 
of  the  Tribe. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  gave  an  account  of  his  steward- 
ship during  the  grand  sun,  and  of  his  compliance  as  far  as 
possible  with  the  instructions  given  him  at  the  last  council. 
Among  other  things  he  had  procured  the  photographs  of  P.  G. 
Incohonees  Hugh  Latham,  of  Virginia ;  George  A.  Peter,  of 
Ohio ;  William  P.  Burns,  of  New  Jersey ;  George  W.  Ford,  of 
Kentucky ;  Paxon  Coats,  of  Ohio ;  Louis  Bonsai,  of  Maryland, 
and  Andrew  J.  Baker,  of  Pennsylvania.  "The  remainder  would 
have  been  procured  had  it  not  been  that  through  political  dif- 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.  317 

faculties,  the  artist  thought  it  prudent  to  remove  from  the 
State." 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  further  said,  that  owing  to  the 
unsettled  condition  of  affairs,  the  usual  statistical  reports  from 
the  Great  Councils  had  not  been  prepared  and  therefore  could 
not  be  submitted. 

For  several  great  suns  under  the  Constitution  it  had  been 
necessary  that  the  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  should  be 
kindled  at  Baltimore,  Md.  At  this  council  an  amendment  was 
adopted  permitting  the  kindling  at  such  place  as  may  be  fixed 
by  the  Great  Council. 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the 
ensuing  grand  sun  were  as  follows  :  — 

W.  G.  Incohonee,  JOSEPH  PYLE,  P.  G.  S.,  Delaware. 

W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore,  L.  SCHLOSS,  Ohio. 

W.  G.  Junior  Sagamore,  LEWIS  C.  PIERCE,  P.  G.  S.,  Pennsylvania. 

W.  G.  Prophet,  MORRIS  H.  GORHAM,  P.  G.  S.,  Pennsylvania. 

W.  G.  Chief  of  Records,  JOHN  L.  BOOKER,  P.  G.  S.,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Keeper  of  Wampum,     WM.  G.  GORSUCH,  P.  G.  I.,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Tocakon,  CHAS.  F.  WILLITS,  New  Jersey. 

W.  G.  Minewa,  EDWARD  R.  McCAiN,  Maryland. 

The  Special  Committee  on  Ritual  reported  progress. 

The  special  committee  appointed  at  the  previous  council  to 
procure  an  act  of  incorporation  for  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  con- 
tinued with  the  addition  of  two  members. 

A  form  was  adopted  for  kindling  and  quenching  the  council 
fire  of  a  Beneficial  Degree  Council. 

A  report  having  been  called  for  from  the  Committee  on  the 
Origin  of  the  Order,  etc.,  Representative  Gorham  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, of  the  Committee,  stated  cause  for  delay  in  making  the 
report,  and  it  was  voted  that  the  Committee  be  continued  one 
grand  sun,  and  that  Representative  Gorham  be  substituted  as 
Chairman  of  the  Committee. 

1862. 

No  council  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  held  in  G.  S.  5622  (1862). 
The  war  between  the  North  and  the  South  was  occupying  the 
minds  of  all  the  people  of  the  country.  The  disturbed  condi- 
tion of  affairs  in  the  city  of  Baltimore  made  it  imprudent  to 


318  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

kindle  the  council  fire  in  that  city,  and  no  other  place  having 
been  fixed  upon  at  the  preceding  council,  under  the  Constitu- 
tion it  could  be  kindled  only  at  Baltimore.  It  was  therefore 
deemed  best  to  omit  the  council  for  this  grand  sun. 

1863. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Red  Men's 
Hall,  Baltimore,  Md.,  at  the  Qth  run  of  the  8th  sun,  Corn  moon, 
G.  S.  5623,  Great  Incohonee  Joseph  Pyle  presiding. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  Representatives  pres- 
ent from  the  Great  Councils  of  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  New 
Jersey,  Ohio,  Kentucky,  and  Delaware,  and  the  District  of 
Columbia. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk,  covering  the 
administration  of  his  chieftaincy  during  the  last  two  grand  suns. 
He  congratulated  the  Order  that,  notwithstanding  the  disturbed 
condition  of  affairs  in  the  country  at  large,  the  Order  had  not 
lost  ground,  but  was  steadily  and  surely  advancing.  He  viewed 
in  detail  the  various  matters  which  had  engaged  his  attention, 
and  the  efforts  made  by  him  to  gather  in  the  work  from  defunct 
Tribes,  to  establish  new  Tribes,  and  to  encourage  those  that 
seemed  to  be  faltering  in  the  good  work,  and  explained  the 
cause  for  not  kindling  the  preceding  grand  sun  council  fire. 

The  western  part  of  Virginia  having  been  set  off  as  a  sepa- 
rate State,  known  as  West  Virginia,  he  had  placed  Logan  Tribe, 
No.  21,  of  Wheeling,  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  G.  C. 
U.  S.,  for  the  reason  that  no  Great  Council  could  legally  exer- 
cise jurisdiction  in  two  States. 

The  Committee  on  the  New  Ritual  made  a  report  and  pre- 
sented a  thorough  revision. 

The  report  of  the  committee  was  accepted  and  considered  in 
Committee  of  the  Whole  and  finally  adopted,  thus  giving  to 
the  Order  a  complete,  symmetrical,  and  attractive  ceremonial 
which  stood  the  test  of  experience  for  a  number  of  great  suns. 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the  en- 
suing grand  sun  were  as  follows  :  — 

W.  G.  Incohonee,  A.  J.  FRANCIS,  P.  G.  S.,  Kentucky. 

W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore,    CHRIS.  WEISTEXBERG,  P.  G.  S.,  Pennsylvania. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.          319 

W.  G.  Junior  Sagamore,    W.  LIMEBURNER,  New  Jersey. 

W.  G.  Prophet,  JOSHUA  MARIS,  P.  G.  S.,  Delaware. 

W.  G.  Chief  of  Records,    JOHN  L.  BOOKER,  P.  G.  S.,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Keeper  of  Wampum,  WM.  G.  GORSUCH,  P.  G.  I.,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Tocakon,  WM.  CHIDSEY,  Ohio. 

W.  G.  Minewa,  JAMES  A.  COOPER,  District  of  Columbia. 

A  report  having  been  called  for  from  the  Committee  on  the 
Origin  of  the  Order,  the  Chairman  of  that  committee  stated 
that  it  was  not  prepared  to  report  at  this  council,  and  it  was 
voted  that  the  committee  be  continued  for  one  grand  sun. 

The  balance  of  the  council  was  consumed  in  the  ordinary 
routine  work,  action  on  the  reports  of  committees,  and  in  per- 
fecting the  unwritten  work  necessary  to  accompany  the  revised 
ritual. 

From  the  statistical  report  presented  by  the  Great  Chief  of 
Records,  we  find  that  the  number  of  Tribes  was  81  ;  initiated, 
763;  rejected,  52;  suspended,  1060;  expelled,  283;  reinstated, 
9;  admitted  by  card,  42;  withdrawn  by  card,  58;  died,  146; 
number  of  members,  6156.  There  seems  to  have  been  no 
returns  of  the  amount  expended  for  the  relief  of  brothers  and 
widows  and  orphans  and  for  education. 

A  resolution  was  adopted  providing  for  holding  the  next 
grand  sun  council  in  the  hunting  grounds  of  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

1864. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Pocahontas 
wigwam,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  in  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  5624,  W.  G. 
Incohonee  A.  J.  Francis  presiding. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  Representatives  pres- 
ent from  Maryland,  Ohio,  New  Jersey,  Delaware,  Kentucky, 
West  Virginia,  Missouri,  and  the  District  of  Columbia. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk,  and  gave  in 
detail  the  matters  which  had  engaged  his  attention  during  the 
preceding  grand  sun.  Among  these1  was  the  institution  of  Cali- 
fornia Tribe,  No.  i,  at  San  Francisco. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  submitted  a  report  of  his  actions 
during  the  grand  sun  and  the  measures  taken  by  him  for  print- 
ing and  distributing  the  new  ritual  adopted,  and  other  supplies 
furnished  through  his  office.  He  also  referred  to  a  Degree  Work 


320  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

received  from  P.  G.  I.  George  A.  Peter,  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
entitled  "Degree  of  the  Daughters  of  Powhatan,"  with  a  re- 
quest that  same  be  printed  and  laid  before  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  at 
this  council.  He  had  not  complied  with  the  request  because  he 
had  no  power  so  to  do. 

The  following  preamble  and  resolutions  were  presented  by 
Representative  Morris  H.  Gorham,  and  are  here  given  as  mark- 
ing the  initiative  of  a  movement  of  historical  interest  in  the 
Order. 

"  Whereas,  The  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  is  purely  American  in  its 
origin,  ritual,  and  traditions,  being  based  upon  the  customs  and  antiquities  of 
the  Aborigines  of  this  continent ;  and,  whereas,  the  discovery  of  America 
forms  an  epoch  alike  grand  in  the  history  of  the  Paleface  and  the  Red  Man, 
it  therefore  suggests  itself  as  the  appropriate  period  from  which  to  compute 
dates  in  this  Order ;  therefore, 

"  Resolved,  That  the  computation  of  time  now  in  use  be,  and  is  hereby  abol- 
ished in  this  Order. 

"  Resolved,  That  all  documents  of  this  Order  be  dated  from  the  year  of  the 
discovery  of  America  by  Columbus,  the  style  to  be  G.  S.  D.  (or  Grand  Sun 
of  the  Discovery) . 

"Resolved,  That  the  Grand  Sun  shall  commence  on  the  first  sun  of  the  Corn 
moon." 

The  resolutions  were  referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  State 
of  the  Order,  which  afterwards  reported  recommending  that 
they  be  laid  over  until  the  next  grand  sun  council,  which  recom- 
mendation was  adopted. 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the  ensu- 
ing grand  sun  were  as  follows  :  — 

W.  G.  Incohonee,  ANGUS  CAMERON,  P.  G.  S.,  Pennsylvania. 

W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore,  MOSES  L.  MERRILL,  G.  S..  District  of  Columbia. 

W.  G.  Junior  Sagamore,  AUGUST  ROETTGER,  West  Virginia. 

W.  G.  Prophet,  A.  C.  DIBOLL,  Ohio. 

W.  G.  Chief  of  Records,  JOHN  L.  BOOKER,  P.  G.  S.,    Maryland. 

W.  G.  Keeper  of  Wampum,  WM.  G.  GORSUCH, P.G.I.,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Tocakon,  CHAS.  HEBEL,  Kentucky. 

W.  G.  Minewa,  JAMES  G.  KING,  P.  G.  S.,  New  Jersey. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Andrew  J.  Baker,  Past  Great  Sachem, 
afterwards  Past  Great  Incohonee,  Morris  H.  Gorham,  and  Past 
Sachem  A.  F.  Haas,  the  committee  under  whose  direction  the 
new  ritual  had  been  prepared,  were  appointed  a  special  com- 


GREAT   COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.  321 

inittee  to  prepare  a  Sachem's  and  a  Prophet's  degree,  and  report 
them  to  the  next  Great  Council. 

At  this  council  further  action  was  taken  towards  procuring 
from  the  .proper  authority  an  act  of  incorporation  for  the  G.  C. 
U.  S. 

No  statistical  summary  was  published  with  the  proceedings 
for  this  grand  sun. 

1865. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Red  Men's 
Hall,  Baltimore,  Md.,  at  the  Qth  run  of  the  I2th  sun,  Corn 
moon,  G.  S.  5625,  Great  Incohonee  Angus  Cameron  presiding. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  Representatives 
present  from  Maryland,  Pennsylvania,  Delaware,  New  Jersey, 
Ohio,  Kentucky,  West  Virginia,  Louisiana,  and  the  District  of 
Columbia. 

Among  those  present  at  this  council  for  the  first  time  was 
Past  Sachem  James  A.  Parsons  of  New  Jersey,  who  afterwards 
became  Great  Incohonee. 

The  committee  referred  to  the  fact  that  Past  Great  Incohonee 
Hugh  Latham  and  two  other  Representatives  appeared  accredited 
to  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  from  the  Great  Council  of  Virginia,  their  cre- 
dentials being  without  the  seal  of  said  Great  Council,  said  seal 
having  been  destroyed  by  fire,  and  the  Representatives  were 
admitted  by  a  vote  of  the  Great  Council. 

Thus  after  the  four  years  of  weary  waiting,  of  hardship  and 
struggle,  of  civil  war  and  fraternal  strife,  the  country  at  large 
was  once  more  united  and  all  sections  of  the  country  in  which 
the  Order  existed  were  again  represented  around  the  council 
fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk,  reporting  in 
detail  his  acts  during  the  grand  sun,  among  which  may  be  men- 
tioned a  new  Tribe,  Cornstalk,  No.  2,  at  Wheeling,  W.  Va. ; 
the  reorganization  of  a  new  Tribe,  Tecumseh,  No.  4,  of  Baton 
Rouge,  La. ;  the  issuing  of  charters  for  the  Great  Council 
of  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  several  Tribes  voted  at  the 
preceding  council,  and  the  reorganization  of  the  Great  Council 
of  Virginia  on  the  I5th  of  Sturgeon  moon,  G.  S.  5625  (August 
15,  1865). 


322  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

The  inclination  to  adopt  a  degree  for  female  relatives  of  mem- 
bers of  the  Order  again  made  its  appearance  by  the  submission 
of  resolutions  therefor  from  the  District  of  Columbia,  upon 
which  it  was  decided  to  be  inexpedient  to  legislate. 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the  ensu- 
ing grand  sun  were  as  follows  :  — 

W.  G.  Incohonee,  THOS.  A.  BOSLEY,  P.  G.  S.,  Ohio. 

W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore,  ALFRED  SHAW,  Louisiana. 

W.  G.  Junior  Sagamore,  JOHN  D.  MOORE,  New  Jersey. 

W.  G.  Prophet,  WILLIAM  R.  MCFARLANE,  Delaware. 

W.  G.  Chief  of  Records,  JOHN  L.  BOOKER,  P.  G.  S.,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Keeper  of  Wampum,  WM.  G.  GORSUCH,  P.  G.  I.,  Maryland. 

W.  G.  Tocakon,  R.  C.  McCRACKEN,  Kentucky. 

W.  G.  Minewa,  JOHN  B.  SHANER,  Virginia. 

The  Special  Committee  on  Ritual  submitted  a  report  of  prog- 
ress, which  was  adopted,  the  committee  continued  and  the 
vacancy  caused  by  the  withdrawal  from  the  Order  of  Brother 
A.  F.  Haas,  filled  by  the  appointment  of  Past  Great  Sachem 
E.  F.  Stewart  of  Pennsylvania. 

The  same  committee  was  ordered  to  prepare  a  new  form  for 
raising  up  chiefs  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  revised  Constitution  was  considered  in  Committee  of  the 
Whole  and  adopted. 

The  resolutions  submitted  at  the  last  council  in  relation  to 
changing  from  the  Jewish  calculation  of  time  were  taken  up 
and  amended  by  adding  after  the  word  "  discovery,"  the  words 
"the  year  1492  be  considered  the  year  I,  and  the  year  1865  as 
the  year  374,  so  that  the  year  may  be  always  ascertained  by 
subtracting  1491.  Also  the  word  'Corn'  erased  and  'Cold' 
inserted." 

The  legislation  of  the  Great  Council  seems  to  have  provided 
for  a  Committee  on  Returns  and  Reports,  and  this  committee 
submitted  a  summary  of  the  reports  presented  by  State  Great 
Councils  and  Tribes  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  the 
G.  C.  U.  S.,  from  which  we  gather  the  following  information : 
Number  of  Tribes,  85  ;  initiations,  1246;  suspensions,  330;  ex- 
pulsions, 21  ;  admitted  by  card,  49;  withdrawn  by  card,  36; 
died,  91  ;  number  of  members,  7835  ;  amount  expended  for 
relief  of  brothers,  12,811  fathoms  97  inches;  expended  for  re- 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES. 


323 


lief  of  widows,  4740  fathoms  40  inches  ;  expended  for  educa- 
tion, 486  fathoms  75  inches. 

By  the  legislation  adopted  at  this  council  the  term  of  the 
chiefs  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  extended  from  one  grand  sun  to 
two  grand  suns,  but  it  was  voted  that  this  change  should  affect 
the  chiefs  elected  at  the  succeeding  council. 

The  subject  of  incorporation  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  again  engaged 
attention,  and  a  committee  was  instructed  to  procure  an  incor- 
poration of  this  Great  Council  by  the  State  of  Pennsylvania. 

The  Great  Council  seems  to  have  had  some  difficulty  in 
gathering  wampum  sufficient  to  meet  the  necessary  expenses, 
and  to  relieve  itself  from  similar  embarrassment  in  the  future 
a  resolution  was  adopted  to  the  effect  "  that  this  Great  Council 
will  not  pay  any  mileage  until  relieved  from  debt,  and  that  the 
several  States  and  Tribes  in  this  jurisdiction  be  requested  to 
pay  the  mileage  of  their  own  Representatives  for  future  ses- 
sions." 

1866. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Red 
Men's  Hall,  Baltimore,  Md.,  at  the  Qth  run  of  the  I  ith  sun,  Corn 
moon,  G.  S.  D.  375,  M.  W.  Incohonee  Thomas  A.  Bosley  pre- 
siding. For  the  first  time  the  new  style  of  dating  was  used, 
the  G.  S.  D.  375  being  equivalent  to  A.D.  1866. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  Representatives  pres- 
ent from  Delaware,  Virginia,  West  Virginia,  Kentucky,  New 
Jersey,  Ohio,  Missouri,  Pennsylvania,  and  the  District  of  Colum- 
bia. Among  the  Representatives  admitted  for  the  first  time  at 
this  council  was  Past  Sachem  Thomas  K.  Donnalley,  the  pres- 
ent (1892)  Great  Incohonee,  and  Thomas  J.  Francis,  of  New 
Jersey,  the  present  Great  Prophet  of  the  United  States. 

The  Committee  appointed  to  procure  an  Act  of  Incorporation 
for  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  reported  that  the  charter  had  been  secured 
as  directed  by  the  Great  Council. 

By  a  vote  of  the  Great  Council,  the  report  and  the  Act  of 
Incorporation  were  accepted. 

The  M.  W.  Great  Incohonee  presented  his  longtalk,  which 
among  other  things  mentioned  the  following :  Dispensations 
had  been  granted  for  the  organization  of  Ontario  Tribe,  No.  6, 


324  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

at  St.  Louis,  Mo. ;  Leni  Lenape  Tribe,  No.  2,  at  Camden,  New 
Jersey;  Swamp  Eagle  Tribe,  No.  I,  Marshall,  Texas;  Manhat- 
tan Tribe,  No.  2,  San  Francisco,  Cal. ;  Tippecanoe  Tribe,  No. 
8,  Patriot,  Ind. 

The  Great  Council  of  Missouri  had  been  reorganized  on  the 
24th  sleep  of  Snow  moon,  G.  S.  D.  375  (February  24,  1866). 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  submitted  a  report  of  the  routine 
work  of  his  chieftaincy,  together  with  a  tabulated  statement  of 
membership  and  receipts. 

Great  Chief  of  Records  John  L.  Booker,  who  had  served  the 
Great  Council  from  its  organization  down  to  the  present  time, 
withdrew  his  name  as  a  candidate  for  re-election.  Morris  H. 
Gorham,  of  Pennsylvania,  the  brother  who  was  elected  to  suc- 
ceed him,  afterwards  became  Great  Incohonee,  and  the  imprint 
of  his  zeal  and  love  for  the  Order  has  been  left  in  indelible 
marks  upon  its  ritual  and  laws. 

Charters  were  granted  to  the  Great  Council  of  Missouri,  and 
to  the  various  Tribes  enumerated  in  the  longtalk  of  the  Great 
Incohonee. 

A  resolution  was  adopted  to  the  effect  "that  there  being  prop- 
erty belonging  to  this  Great  Council,  and  the  Great  Council  of 
Maryland,  held  jointly,  and  now  in  the  possession  of  P.  M.  W. 
Great  Chief  of  Records  Jno.  L.  Booker,  a  committee  be  appointed 
to  examine,  and  divide  the  same." 

This  action  has  a  significance  from  the  fact  that  many  impor- 
tant documents  that  would  have  shed  light  upon  the  origin  and 
early  history  of  the  Order  were  in  possession  of  the  retiring 
Great  Chief  of  Records,  Brother  Booker.  These  documents  dis- 
appeared and  have  never  been  found.  Their  loss  is  irreparable. 

The  Committee  on  Revision  of  Ritual  submitted  a  report 
which  was  a  revision  of  the  work,  and  promised  at  next  council 
to  present  the  Sachem's  and  Prophet's  degrees,  with  a  new 
funeral  ceremony. 

The  ceremonial  presented  by  the  committee  was  considered 
in  Committee  of  the  Whole  and  unanimously  adopted. 

It  was  voted  that  the  next  council  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  be  held 
at  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Great  Chief  of  Records  Gorham,  from  the  Committee  on  date 
of  the  Institution  of  the  Order  in  the  Hunting  Grounds  of  the 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED   STATES.          325 

Palefaces,  stated  that  he  had  prepared  a  report,  but  was  unable 
to  get  the  names  of  the  other  members  of  the  committee  affixed 
to  it ;  whereupon  Representative  Cameron  moved  that  four 
additional  members  be  added  to  the  committee,  in  order  to 
obtain  a  majority  report,  which  was  agreed  to.  The  M.  W. 
Great  Incohonee  appointed  on  the  committee,  Representatives 
Cameron,  of  Pennsylvania ;  Ford,  of  Maryland  ;  Ditman,  of  Vir- 
ginia ;  and  McFarlane,  of  Delaware.  The  report  was  then  read, 
unanimously  adopted,  and  the  M.  W.  Great  Chief  of  Records 
instructed  to  have  the  same  printed  with  the  forthcoming  pro- 
ceedings of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  report  above  referred  to  is  the  first  attempt  to  give  to  the 
world  a  history  of  the  origin  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

After  detailing  the  legislation  preceding  the  selection  of  the 
Committee,  all  of  which  has  been  covered  by  the  matter  given 
in  this  chapter,  the  report  proceeds  as  follows  :  — 

We  shall  consider  the  first  inquiry,  under  what  we  shall  term  THE  TRADI- 
TIONAL OR  UNCERTAIN  PERIOD  of  the  history  of  our  affiliation  ;  and  waving 
for  the  time  the  generic  term  Order,  will,  for  the  sake  of  greater  accuracy, 
use  the  term  Society,  as  applied  to  it  in  the  earlier  documents  now  extant. 

Passing  to  the  consideration  of  the  first  inquiry  propounded  in  the  resolu- 
tions, we  have  to  deplore  the  loss  of  the  original  record  of  their  transactions 
and  other  early  papers,  which  would  have  settled  beyond  dispute  the  date  of 
the  institution  of  the  Society  in  the  hunting  grounds  of  the  palefaces. 

As  early  as  1821,  we  find  the  loss  of  these  documents  regretted  and  com- 
plained of.  In  November  of  that  year  a  Committee  was  appointed  to  "in- 
quire into  whose  possession  the  papers  appertaining  to  the  Red  Men  "  had 
fallen.  The  said  committee  reported  on  the  Qth  of  August,  1822,  that  "by  a 
train  of  unfortunate  events,  following  each  other  in  rapid  succession,  the 
papers  belonging  fo  the  Red  Men  had  come  in  possession  of  white  men." 
They  "  were  not  disposed  to  dwell  upon  the  cause  "  leading  thereto,  '•  the 
individual l  most  implicated  having  passed  the  dark  river,  which  lies  at  the 
foot  of  the  hill  of  life."  "A  Red  Man"  had  "with  trouble  and  expense 
recovered  a  portion  of  them,"  and  it  was  impossible  to  tell  in  what  direction 
the  winds  of  misfortune  had  wafted  the  remainder. 

There  exists  in  the  recollection  of  some  of  the  older  members  of  the 
present  day  an  early  tradition  —  once  popular  —  which  points  to  Fort  Mifflin, 
on  the  Delaware  River,  as  the  birthplace  of  the  Society,  and  that  sometime 
during  the  period  intervening  between  the  years  1812  and  1814  was  the  time 
of  the  kindling  of  its  first  Council  fire.2 

1  Francis  Shallus,  first  Generalissimo. 

2  The  Preamble  to  the  Constitution  and  By-Laws  names  the  year  1813. 


->26  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

o 

The  circumstance  which  this  tradition  assigns  as  the  stimulating  cause  of 
its  first  organization,  grew  out  of  the  bitter  animosity  which  has  been  engen- 
dered between  the  war  and  anti-war  parties  during  those  eventful  years  in 
American  history. 

The  spirit  of  hatred,  strife  and  distrust  which  embittered  the  feeling  of  the 
conflicting  factions,  was  not  long  confined  to  the  civil  community  outside, 
but  passing  as  it  were  unseen  by  the  sentinels,  it  made  its  appearance  and 
disseminated  its  demoralizing  influence  among  the  soldiers  of  the  garrison. 
Some  of  the  more  influential  and  patriotic  of  the  volunteers l  within  the  Fort, 
viewing  with  apprehension  and  fear  the  threatening  consequence  of  the 
powers  at  work  among  them  to  their  country  and  its  free  institutions,  and 
rising  above  the  machinations  of  party  to  the  true  level  of  patriotism,  pro- 
posed and  effected  among  the  soldiers  the  organization  of  a  Secret  Society, 
fortified  by  signs,  grips  and  passwords,  the  object  of  which  was  to  dispel 
discord  and  disseminate  friendship.  Their  efforts,  as  we  are  told,  were 
attended  with  the  happiest  results ;  for  in  a  very  short  time  after  their 
organization  was  completed  a  marked  change  was  visible  in  the  tone  and 
temper  of  the  garrison.  Where  before  had  been  distrust,  hatred  and  the 
manifestations  of  angry  passion,  was  now  kindness,  good  fellowship,  and 
brotherly  regard  —  amity  of  sentiment  and  unity  of  purpose  prevailing  in 
every  heart,  as  the  soldiers  of  Fort  Mifflin  emerged  from  the  council  of  Red 
Men,  where  they  had  pledged  themselves  to  patriotism  and  fraternity. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  their  Council  fire  was  necessarily  quenched,  the 
garrison  disbanded,  and  the  volunteers  returned  to  their  homes.  But  recol- 
lections of  the  past,  the  charms  of  an  association  so  patriotic  in  its  origin  and 
purpose,  and  which  had  been  productive  of  so  much  good  in  the  past,  when 
the  dark  mantle  of  adversity  hung  like  a  pall  upon  the  country,  with  the 
natural  desire  to  perpetuate  and  extend  it,  were  the  incentives  to  revive  the 
Society.2  Accordingly,  a  call  was  inserted  in  one  or  more  of  the  newspapers 
of  Philadelphia  for  a  council  of  the  Red  Men,  which  resulted  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  what  was  subsequently  known  as  the  "  Tribe  of  Columbia  of  the 
Society  of  Red  Men  of  Pennsylvania."  3 

Such,  in  brief,  is  substantially  the  traditional  history  of  the  origin  of  our 
affiliation,  as  preserved  (among  others)  in  the  recollection  of  our  venerable 
brother  and  colleague,  P.  G.  I.  Marley.  Brother  Richard  Marley  was  ad- 
mitted and  adopted  by  the  Society  on  the  evening  of  the  Qth  of  September, 
1824,  and  received  the  name  Moose  Deer's  Brother,  and  therefore  was 
acquainted  with  many  of  the  principal  members,  and  familiar  with  the 
origin  and  history  they  would  ascribe  to  it.  Besides,  there  is  internal 
evidence  found  in  the  military  character  of  the  organization,  as  will  appear 

1  Captain  James  N.  Barker,  and  Lieut.  Williams.     The  former  was  Commandant 
of  the    Fort,    and    subsequently    (in    the    year    1819)    was    Mayor    of    the    city    of 
Philadelphia.     The   latter,  having  attained   the   rank   of  Captain,   was  slain   in  the 
defence  of  Fort  Erie  August  14,  1814. —  (Preamble  to  Constitution  and  By-Laws.) 

2  Preamble  to  Constitution  and  By- Laws. 

3  Manuscript  Record. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED   STATES.  327 

in  another  part  of  this  report,  which  proves  it  to  have  been  the  work  of 
military  men.1 

But  whilst  the  Society  is  fortunate  in  the  possession  of  the  tradition,  pre- 
served in  part  at  least  by  brother  Marley,  and  verified  to  some  extent  by 
authentic  documentary  evidence,  your  Committee  are  not  prepared  to  limit 
its  origin  to  as  late  a  date  as  the  war  of  1812-15.  Indeed,  there  is  in  the  rec- 
ords of  the  Society  presumptive  as  well  as  contemporaneous  external  evidence 
that  it  originated  at  a  much  earlier  day ;  and  it  is  as  probable  that  it  took  its 
rise  during  the  Revolutionary  War  as  during  that  of  1812-15,  and  the  origin 
attributed  to  the  Society  at  Fort  Mifflin  may  have  been  but  the  reorganization 
of  pre-existing  fraternal  elements  by  the  volunteers  for  kindred  purposes. 

DRAKE,  in  his  "History  and  Biography  of  the  North  American  Indians," 
speaking  of  Tammany,  says :  "  The  fame  of  this  great  man  extended  even 
among  the  whites,  who  fabricated  numerous  legends  concerning  him.  .  .  . 
In  the  Revolutionary  War  his  enthusiastic  admirers  dubbed  him  a  Saint,  and 
he  was  established  under  the  name  of  Saint  Tammany,  the  patron  Saint  of 
America.  His  name  was  inserted  in  some  of  the  calendars,  and  his  festival 
celebrated  on  the  first  day  of  May  in  every  year.  On  that  day  a  numerous 
Society  of  his  votaries  walked  together  in  procession  through  the  streets  of 
Philadelphia,  their  hats  decorated  with  buck-tails,  and  proceeded  to  a  hand- 
some rural  place  out  of  town,  which  they  called  the  Wigwam,  where,  after  a 
longtalk  or  Indian  speech  had  been  delivered,  and  the  calumet  of  peace  and 
friendship  had  been  duly  smoked,  they  spent  the  day  in  festivity  and  mirth. 
After  dinner,  Indian  dances  were  performed  on  the  green  in  front  of  the  Wig- 
wam, the  calumet  was  again  smoked,  and  the  company  separated." 

There  were  two  days  in  the  calendar  of  our  early  Red  Men  which  were 
held  sacred  —  the  22d  of  February  and  the  12th  day  of  May.  Of  the  first  it 
is  unnecessary,  for  the  purpose  of  this  report,  to  say  anything  further.  Of  the 
latter,  we  may  remark  that  it  was  invariably  observed  as  a  feast.  [It  is 
worthy  of  note  in  this  place  that  the  By-Laws  of  1817  fixes  the  birthday  of 
Captain  Williams,  who  fell  in  defence  of  Fort  Erie  on  the  I4th  of  August, 
1814,  as  the  day  for  holding  the  "anniversary  meetings  of  the  Society.'1] 
The  particular  day,  however,  is  left  blank  in  those  laws,  and  subsequent 
documentary  evidence  shows  their  feasts  to  have  been  observed  on  the  \-zth 
day  of  May,  Saint  Tammany's  day.  On  the  morning  of  the  I2th  of  May, 
the  Red  Men's  Society  assembled  at  a  designated  place,  —  usually  at  the 
house  of  a  member,  —  and,  decorated  with  the  badges  and  insignia  of  their 
rank,  with  banners  flying,  and  to  the  sound  of  stirring  music  took  up  their 
line  of  march  through  the  streets  of  the  city,  and  proceeded  to  some  previous 
secured  rural  spot,  within  convenient  distance,  where  the  day  was  spent  in 
the  manner  described  in  the  quotation  just  cited.  The  fact  of  their  having 
invariably  celebrated  the  feast  of  Saint  Tammany  in  the  ostentatious  and 
public  manner  just  described,  will  easily  account  for  their  having  been  known 

1  Since  writing  the  Report,  the  Chairman  of  the  Committee  has  come  in  possession 
of  a  copy  of  the  Preamble,  and  some  of  the  old  Laws,  which  verify  the  truth  of  the 
tradition  referred  to. 


328  IMPROVED    ORDER   OF  RED  MEN. 

to  the  community  outside  as  the  SAINT  TAMMANY  SOCIETY.  Public  notice 
of  their  assembling  on  that  occasion  was  given  in  the  newspapers  of  the  day, 
and  by  quaint  Red  Handbills,  worded  in  the  peculiar  phraseology  of  the 
Society,  which  were  posted  on  the  street  corners,  in  public  houses,  and  other 
public  places.  The  quotation  we  have  made,  from  Drake's  "  History  and 
Biography,"  fixes  upon  the  first  of  May  as  the  feast  of  Saint  Tammany;  but 
the  original  documents  in  the  possession  of  the  Chairman  of  your  Committee, 
and  which  will  be  considered  more  at  length  in  their  proper  place  in  this 
report,  incontestably  prove  the  day  observed  to  have  been  the  12th  of  May. 

The  Wigwam,  which  our  author  refers  to  as  the  place  of  holding  the  feast, 
was  located  on  Bush  Hill,  then  out  of  the  city,  and  was  kept  by  a  gentleman 
of  the  name  of  Clements,1  who  was  known  also  among  the  members  of  the 
Society  as  brother  Pine  Grove.  The  house  was  known  to  the  community  at 
large  as  Harmony  Hall,  which  name  was  given  to  it  by  the  proprietor  in  honor 
of  the  Bush  Hill  Band  of  Musicians,  of  which  he  was  the  leader.  Subse- 
quently it  was  called  the  "  Wigwam,"  from  the  fact  that  the  Red  Men  had 
secured  a  large  room  in  the  old  Stone  Building,  which  they  made  their  perma- 
nent place  of  meeting,  having  fitted  it  up  beautifully  with  appropriate  scenic 
decorations  and  effects  necessary  for  the  celebration  of  their  quaint  and 
romantic  rites.2  Prior  to  their  occupation  of  this  Wigwam,  they  had  no 
permanent  place  of  assembling,  but  kindled  their  council  fires  —  as  the  old 
manuscript  records  show  —  first  at  the  house  of  one  brother,  and  then  at  that 
of  another.  Nor  was  it  their  uniform  practice  to  celebrate  the  feast  of  their 
tutelar  Saint  at  the  Wigwam,  as  intimated  by  our  author,  but  wherever  con- 
venient or  fancy  might  dictate.  Long  before  the  Wigwam  became  their 
abode,  they  celebrated  the  natal  day  of  their  Aboriginal  Saint  in  the  groves 
of  New  Jersey,  or  other  rustic  localities  on  the  Pennsylvania  side  of  the  Dela- 
ware River. 

From  these  considerations,  your  Committee  cannot  resist  the  conclusion 
that  the  "  Saint  Tammany  Society,"  referred  to  in  the  quotations  we  have  made 
from  Drake's  "  History  and  Biography  of  the  North  American  Indians,'1  were 
identical  with  the  Red  Men, — one  and  the  same  Society  —  and  this  conclu- 
sion is  strengthened  by  still  another  fact.  There  is  associated  with  the  name 
of  the  Saint  Tammany  Society  a  political  characteristic,  which  is  also  attached 
to  the  recollection  of  the  early  Red  Men.  It  is  true,  indeed,  that  there  is 
still  preserved  a  sentiment  which  was  enjoined  on  the  candidate  at  his  ad- 
mission—  that  "Red  Men  administered  no  oaths,  binding  ...  to  any 
political  or  religious  creed :  they  bind  neither  your  hands  nor  your  feet ;  as 
you  enter  their  Wigwam,  so  you  depart  —  a  free  man." 

But  in  understanding  and  construing  this  preliminary  injunction,  we  must 
bear  in  mind  that  the  Society  rested  upon  a  national  basis ;  that  whether  we 
adopt  the  theory  that  it  originated  among  the  volunteers  of  Fort  Mifflin  in 
1812-15,  or  regard  it  as  the  successor  of  a  still  earlier  Society  existing  among 
the  Soldiers  of  the  Revolution,  national  politics  formed  a  conspicuous  feature 

1  Familiarly  known  as  Father  Clements. 

2  The  Tribe  at  this  time  was  largely  composed  of  musicians,  literati,  and  actors. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.  329 

of  the  organization.  Down  as  late  as  1817,  and  even  in  1827,  this  feature  is 
clearly  visible  in  it.  An  old  report  of  a  Committee,  appointed  to  inquire  into 
the  character  and  principles  of  an  applicant  for  membership,  settles  this  ques- 
tion in  the  following  emphatic  words:  "That  he  is  a  citizen;  of  good  moral 
character,  and  of  uniform  and  correct  political  principles,  and  is  well  entitled 
to  a  seat  in  the  Wigwam." 

In  the  manuscript  records  of  the  6th  of  July,  1822,  we  find  a  motion 
adopted,  "That  a  Standing  Committee  of  twelve  be  appointed  as  an  advance 
post,  to  superintend  the  election  of  brother  flinty  Warrior?  and  to  report  if 
anything  unfavorable  should  be  circulated  against  him." 

On  page  94,  manuscript  records,  1823,  we  find  it  resolved,  That  the  names 
of  the  Committee  of  Vigilance  be  not  published  until  after  their  next  meeting. 
On  page  95,  same  date,  we  find  that  houses  had  been  secured  for  the  distribu- 
tion of  tickets  by  the  Red  Men  on  the  day  of  election.  Again,  on  page  96,  we 
find  that  the  Committee  appointed  to  procure  suitable  houses  for  the  issuing 
of  tickets  in  support  of  our  brother  Flinty  Warrior,  be  indefinitely  postponed.2 

In  an  old  copy  of  By-Laws,3  preserved  in  the  archives  of  the  Great  Council 
of  the  United  States,  the  complexion  of  the  political  bias — indicated  thus 
early  in  the  Order — is  clearly  shown  by  a  provision  disqualifying  persons 
who  were  not  citizens,  or  who  either  owned  or  held  slaves,  from  becoming 
members. 

Thus  far  the  Society  was  no  doubt  political  —  taking  its  rise  among  military 
men,  who  were  thoroughly  imbued  with  American  sentiments ;  and  prior  to  the 
development  of  the  intensely  bitter  animosity  and  local  prejudices,  which  at 
a  latter  day  grew  out  of  the  agitation  of  the  slavery  question,  it  was  considered 
national  without  being  political  in  any  partisan  sense :  and  hence  the  injunc- 
tion already  quoted  from  the  early  Ritual. 

We  have  thus  presented  all  the  positive  and  presumptive  evidence  in  our 
possession,  or  accessible  to  us  at  this  time,  which  can  shed  any  light  upon  the 
inquiry  as  to  the  date  of  the  institution  of  the  Society  into  the  hunting 
grounds  of  the  palefaces ;  and  as  the  second  and  third  inquiries  of  the  first 
resolution  will  be  answered  incidentally  in  this  report,  we  deem  it  unneces- 
sary to  give  them  special  consideration,  and  proceed  to  examine  the  propo- 
sition contained  in  the  second  resolution,  namely:  "The  purchase  of  the 
'  Muster  Roll,'  and  such  other  documents  as  may  be  deemed  worthy  of  preser- 
vation." 

There  appears  to  have  existed  among  some  of  the  older  members  of  the 
Society,  from  an  early  day,  a  tradition  that  an  original  instrument,  called  the 
"Muster  Roll,"  containing  the  names  of  the  founders  of  the  Society  at  Fort 
Mir'rlin,  or  a  copy  of  the  same,  was  in  existence  in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  and 

1  John  Douglass,  magistrate. 

2  The  Generalissimo,  Black   Wampum,  had    delivered  a  longtalk  against  using 
the  name  of  the  Red  Men's  Society  to  further  the  election  of  young  and  inexperienced 
brothers. 

3  Article  II.     None  but  citizens  of  the  United  States  can  become  members.     Art. 
III.     No  person  owning  or  holding  slaves  can  become  members.  —  (Old  Laws.) 


330  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

was  in  possession  of  the  late  Logan  Tribe,  No.  i .  Shortly  after  the  appoint- 
ment of  your  Committee,  the  present  Chairman,  in  company  with  G.  C.  of  R. 
Booker,  visited  Fell's  Point,  for  the  purpose  of  making  inquiry  concerning  it, 
and  if  possible  to  purchase  it.  Their  visit,  however,  was  fruitless ;  and  from 
new  light  which  they  have  since  received,  they  cannot  believe  any  such 
document  ever  existed  in  Baltimore.  The  Committee  have  shown  that  the 
origin  of  the  Society  may  have  been  anterior  to  the  war  of  1812-15,  and  they 
have  also  shown,  by  documentary  evidence,  that  most  of  the  earlier  papers, 
which  would  have  thrown  light  upon  the  history  of  the  Society,  were  lost  as 
early  as  1821.  The  oldest  manuscript  document  in  existence,  so  far  as  we 
are  aware,  is  an  Account  Book,  quarto  post,  containing  96  pages,  and  the 
accounts  of  seventy-six  members,  with  their  Indian  or  characteristic  titles. 
Most  of  these  accounts  open  on  the  24th  of  January,  1817,  and  continue  until 
March  3,  1818.  The  next  document  we  have  to  notice  we  shall,  for  the  sake 
of  convenience,  denominate  the  "  Muster  Roll."  This  "  Muster  Roll  "  is 
composed  of  a  number  of  pass-books,  I2mo,  containing  a  list  of  the  given  or 
Indian  names  of  the  members.  It  is  incomplete,  without  date,  running 
perhaps  over  a  series  of  years,  and  containing,  at  a  rough  estimate,  five 
thousand  names.  Many  of  the  names  are  wholly  obliterated,  others  partly 
so,  whilst  still  others  can  only  be  deciphered  by  the  aid  of  a  magnifying- 
glass. 

It  was  the  custom  of  these  early  Red  Men,  when  adopting  a  new  member, 
after  the  manner  of  the  Indians,  to  take  away  his  old  name  and  invest  him 
with  a  new  one,  by  which  he  was  ever  afterwards  known  upon  the  books, 
and  in  all  councils,  assemblages  or  gatherings  of  the  fraternity ;  and  hence  it 
is  difficult  at  times  to  identify  the  individuals  who  were  enrolled  as  members. 
Occasionally,  however,  the  initials,  and  even  the  full  name  of  a  brother,  may 
be  found  entered  upon  these  old  and  musty  pages.  Among  the  few  others 
we  find  the  name  of  Richard  Marley,  with  the  rank  of  Third  Major  General, 
and  who  is  our  present  venerable  Past  Great  Incohonee.  This  document,  or 
"  Muster  Roll,"  when  it  came  into  the  hands  of  our  Chairman,  was  closely 
tied  between  the  leather  covers  of  an  old  I2mo  book,  bearing  an  inscription 
on  the  outside,  in  heavy  ink  marks,  too  much  obliterated  to  be  deciphered, 
excepting  the  date  (1812),  which  is  yet  bold  and  distinct.  On  the  inside  is 
the  name  of  Matthew  Zahm,  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania. 

The  next  paper  claiming  our  attention  is  the  "  General  Orders,"  issued  by 
the  Generalissimo1  from  Stratton's  Hotel,  Philadelphia,  and  bears  date 
September  15,  1820.  This  document  promulgates  and  defines  the  badges'2 
and  insignia  to  be  worn  by,  as  well  as  fully  enumerates  the  several  ranking 
officers.  From  it  we  learn  there  were  twenty  grades  of  ranking  officers,  com- 
mencing with  the  Lieutenant,  and  ascending  upward  to  the  Generalissimo. 
These  officers  were  for  the  government  of  the  external  or  general  operations 
of  the  Society ;  whilst  for  local  and  ceremonial  purposes  they  were  arranged 

1  Francis  Shallus. 

2  A  bright  red  ribbon,  with  emblem  of  rank  embroidered  in  gold,  silver,  or  blue, 
according  to  the  rank  of  wearer. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED   STATES.          331 

somewhat  differently,  and  of  course  were  not  so  numerous.  Assuming  the 
council  fire  to  be  kindled,  and  the  Tribe  in  working  order,  we  find  the  officers 
arranged  in  the  following  order:  the  Generalissimo,  or,  as  he  is  otherwise 
termed,  Yeoughwannaiuago,  and  his  two  Captain-Generals  ;  the  Chief  and  his 
four  Tryors ;  the  Grand  Treasurer,  Grand  Recording  Scribe,  and  the  Grand 
Doorkeeper. 

Next  we  have  manuscript  memoranda  J  of  the  original  ceremony  of  initia- 
tion, which,  with  the  verbal  explanations  given  to  the  Chairman  of  your 
Committee,  places  us  in  full  knowledge  of,  as  we  now  term  it,  the  old 
Unwritten  Work.  The  ceremony  appears  to  have  been  committed  to 
memory,  and  was  then  transmitted  traditionally  from  one  to  another.  It 
was  only  in  rare  instances,  as  when  organizing  Tribes  at  a  distance,  that 
memoranda  in  writing  were  allowed  to  be  made ;  and,  indeed,  the  true 
and  false  countersigns  were  only  permitted  to  be  communicated  by  the 
Generalissimo  or  his  Special  Deputy. 

In  a  circular,  or  small  poster,  bearing  date  April  14,  1821,  we  have  pre- 
served an  original  impression  of  the  Red  Men's  Seal.  In  this  document,  too, 
which  contains  the  names  of  sixty-five  brothers,  the  evidence  of  the  introduc- 
tion into  the  Society  of  a  corroding  element,  which  finally  brought  about 
the  decline  not  only  of  the  Tribe  of  Columbia,  but  also  of  the  branch  Societies 
generally  throughout  the  several  States  —  we  mean  their  organization  for 
social  purposes. 

Passing  from  the  initiatory  ceremony,  we  come  to  the  records  of  the  7th, 
gth,  I4th  and  2Oth  of  November,  1821,  containing  the  announcement  of  the 
death  of  the  Generalissimo,  Francis  Shallus,'  and  the  proceedings  had  in 
relation  thereto. 

We  now  proceed  to  notice  the  Book  of  Records  of  the  "  Red  Men's  Soci- 
ety." This  is  a  bound  volume  of  710  pages  quarto  post,  containing  413 
written  pages  of  minutes  of  the  Society,  commencing  on  the  25th  of  June, 
1822,  and  ending  on  the  I5th  of  May,  1827,  and  an  unfinished  alphabetical, 
list  of  the  given  and  proper  names  of  members.  In  addition  to  these,  we 
have  the  original  manuscript  minutes,  from  which  those  recorded  in  the  book 
were  copied  in  a  neat  and  legible  hand.  We  have,  also,  loose  manuscript 
records  of  the  I2th  of  December,  and  the  24th  and  3ist  of  January,  1831. 
These  are  the  latest  records  of  the  old  organization,  so  far  as  your  Commit- 
tee are  aware,  that  have  been  preserved ;  and  the  above-mentioned  records 
comprise  all  of  that  kind  of  documentary  evidence  of  their  proceedings  now 
in  existence.  There  are,  however,  a  few  other  papers  which  may  be  regarded 
as  supplemental  to,  or  explanatory  of  them,  and  which  are  important  as 
shedding  light  upon  portions  of  the  early  history  of  the  Society.  They  will 
be  noticed  as  we  proceed. 

Thus  far  our  observations,  since  the  reorganization  in  1817,  have  been 
directed  to  the  consideration  of  the  Society  and  its  documentary  evidence,  as 
it  existed  in  Philadelphia.  From  this  locality  it  radiated  and  spread  into 

1  A  copy  of  this  memoranda  may  have  led  to  the  misapprehension  about  the 
Muster  Roll  being  in  Baltimore. 


332  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

different  sections  of  the  country,  North  and  South.  Of  the  exact  time  of  its 
introduction  into  some  localities  we  are  able  to  speak  only  with  probability, 
whilst  its  existence  in  other  places  rests  upon  positive  documentary 
evidence. 

From  a  letter  written  by  Ironstone,  Fifth  Major-General,  or  Minowakaton, 
whose  correct  name  was  John  M.  Burns,  we  learn  that  as  early  as  1818  he 
was  appointed,  by  Francis  Shallus,  General  Chief  of  the  Southern  Tribes. 
And  from  the  fact  that  Shallus  died  in  1821,  and  the  further  fact  that  Iron- 
stone declares,  in  the  letter  referred  to,  that  since  the  death  of  that  great  and 
good  counsellor  he  has  held  no  communication  with  the  Northern  Tribes,  we 
conclude  that  Tribes  were  established  in  the  South  soon  after  his  appoint- 
ment, indeed,  some  of  them  may  have  existed  prior  to  it.  From  the  same 
letter  we  learn  that  a  Tribe  was  established  in  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 
and  continued  in  existence  until  1820,  when,  owing  to  some  local  disease, 
which  decimated  their  ranks,  they  ceased  operations. 

It  is  highly  probable,  from  the  concurrent  evidence  we  have,  that  simul- 
taneously with  the  organization  of  the  Tribe  in  Charleston,  it  was  introduced 
into  Baltimore,  Maryland.  In  an  address  delivered  by  P.  G.  I.  Hugh  Latham, 
at  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania,  on  the  2ist  of  October,  1857,  it  is  stated,  speak- 
ing of  brother  Richard  Marley,  that,  "  having  removed  to  Baltimore,  he  was 
appointed  Chief  of  the  State  of  Maryland,  with  the  title  of  Split  Log,  and 
agreeable  to  instructions,  caused  a  council  fire  to  be  kindled  in  June,  1820." 
Upon  these  statements  your  Committee  have  to  remark,  first,  that  by  refer- 
ence to  the  "  Muster  Roll  "  already  referred  to,  we  find  the  name  of  Richard 
Marley  entered  as  Third  Major-General,  with  the  title  of  Split  Log's  Brother. 
Second,  on  page  209  of  the  Red  Men's  Minute  Book,  we  find  this  record : 
"i 4th  of  the  gth  Moon,  1824,  the  following  white  men  were  proposed;  and 
-alter  going  through  the  usual  and  necessary  forms,  were  received  and  ini- 
tiated :  Richard  Marley,  cordwainer,  proposed  by  Hospitality  —  name  given 
Moose  Deer's  Brother.'1''  Brother  Marley  must,  therefore,  have  been  a  mem- 
ber some  considerable  time  to  have  reached  the  rank  of  Third  Major-General, 
and  could  by  no  possibility  have  kindled  a  council  fire  in  Baltimore  in  June, 
1820,  seeing  he  was  not  admitted  to  membership  until  September  14,  1824. 
Your  Committee,  therefore,  from  what  has  already  been  stated  in  Ironstone's 
letter,  —  from  the  fact  that  the  names,  titles,  and  marks  of  rank  of  brothers 
in  Baltimore  are  of  frequent  occurrence  on  the  "  Muster  Roll,"  and  from  the 
absence  of  any  minutes  of  the  organization  of  the  Society  in  that  place 
in  the  Record  Book,  between  the  years  1821  and  1831  —  are  of  the  opinion 
that  the  Society  was  established  in  that  city  as  early  at  least  as  1818  to 
1820.1 

On  the  24th  of  August,  1822,  Wetehoopeta,  or  Yellow  Cat,  was  brevetted 
from  the  rank  of  Brigadier  to  that  of  Major-General,  and  commissioned  to 
"kindle  a  council  fire  in  New  Orleans,  to  make  Red  Men,  and  give  them  all 
necessary  instructions,"  and  he  was  required  to  "  report  from  time  to  time  to 

1  That  Brother  Marley  did  kindle  a  council  fire  in  Baltimore  is  not  questioned ; 
but  the  Society  several  times  ceased  to  exist  in  that  city,  and  was  as  often  revived. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.  333 

the  Red  Men  of  Pennsylvania  the  condition  of  the  nations  over  which  he  was 
appointed  Sachem." 

About  the  year  1820  or  1821,  the  Society  was  established  in  the  State  of 
Delaware,  for  we  find  on  page  55  of  the  manuscript  record  this  minute:  "The 
Chief  of  the  Delaware  Tribe  reports,  that  since  he  had  received  power  to 
initiate  brethren,  that  eighty-six  persons  had  been  adopted  in  the  Tribe,  and 
received  the  appropriate  signs."  But  we  cannot  find  anywhere  in  the  records, 
from  that  date  back  to  the  opening  of  the  book  on  the  25th  of  June,  1825,  any 
mention  of  the  commission  authorizing  its  organization  ;  and  hence  our  con- 
clusion, that  it  must  have  taken  place  about  the  time  named,  and  during  that 
period  of  which  the  records  are  lost. 

From  the  original  manuscript  petition  of  Tall  Birch  Tree,  —  Never  Fear's 
Son  —  [who  was  made  a  Red  Man  under  Split  Log^\  for  recognition  by  the 
"Mother  Tribe"  in  Philadelphia,  and  bearing  date  the  I2th  Moon,  1825,  we 
learn  that  the  "  Benevolent  Tribe  of  Nassau,"  in  the  village  of  Brooklyn, 
Island  of  Nassau,  and  State  of  New  York,  had  been  previously  organized. 
It,  however,  asked  to  be  recognized,  and  received  a  grant  of  power  from  the 
Tribe  of  Columbia,  at  Philadelphia. 

For  the  sake  of  proper  connection  in  the  subject-matter  of  this  portion  of 
our  report,  it  is  necessary  we  should  diverge  from  regular  chronological  order, 
and  refer  to  the  printed  Proceedings  of  the  present  Great  Council  of  the  U.  S. 
On  p.  3,  vol.  i,  session  5609,  G.  Incohonee  Latham,  speaking  of  Tribes  in  New 
York,  from  which  petitions  had  been  received,  says :  "  On  my  arrival  in  New 
York,  I  found  that  some  of  the  petitioners  had  been  associated  together  under 
the  name  of  the  '  Order  of  Red  Men,1  without  being  aware  of  the  existence  of 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  until  a  short  period  previous  to  making 
their  application  to  this  Great  Council  for  dispensations."  From  this  portion 
of  the  report  to  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  we  infer  that  these 
Red  Men  of  New  York  were  regarded  as  mere  waifs  upon  the  tide  of  Society 
—  children  whose  paternity  was  unknown,  either  to  themselves  or  others ; 
and,  indeed,  a  similar  condition  of  facts  will  be  found  to  have  existed  relative 
to  the  origin  of  the  Red  Men  in  Maryland.  We  trust,  however,  that  this, 
report  of  your  committee  may  be  found  sufficiently  demonstrative  of  the  true 
source  from  which  they  sprung,  and  conclusively  prove  that  they  have  all 
flowed  from  the  same  original  fountain  head,  viz. :  "  The  Tribe  of  Columbia," 
at  Philadelphia. 

We  find  upon  the  record  of  the  I3th  of  June,  1826,  page  341,  that  Briga- 
dier-General Northern  Warrior  was  appointed  "  Chief  of  the  Albany  Tribe, 
and  in  due  form,  in  open  council,  by  a  warrant  handed  to  him,  permitted  and 
empowered  to  open  a  Wigwam  in  the  city  of  Albany,  in  the  State  of  New 
York,  under  the  title  and  name  of '  The  Albany  Tribe  of  Red  Men.' " 

We  are  unable  to  indicate  the  precise  date  of  the  institution  of  the  Society 
in  New  Jersey ;  and  from  the  fact  that  there  is  no  mention  of  it  upon  the 
record,  we  infer  it  to  have  been  prior  to  the  25th  of  June,  1822.  On  the 
'•  Muster  Roll "  we  find  that  Strong  Water,  the  Seventh  Major-General,  was 
the  Commander  in  that  jurisdiction. 

There  are  numerous  strong  indications  that  the  Society  of  Red  Men  had 


334  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

been  diffused  over  a  much  wider  extent  of  country  than  we  have  mentioned ; 
but  as  these  indications  are  not  in  themselves  conclusive  upon  that  point,  we 
forbear  presenting  them. 

Returning  to  Pennsylvania,  where  at  this  day  it  is  remembered  traditionally 
by  the  outside  community  as  Saint  Tammany's  Society,  we  find  it  radiating 
from  Philadelphia  to  Germantown,  Lancaster,  and  Reading.  Indeed,  it  ex- 
isted in  the  latter  place  until  a  comparatively  late  date.  We  find  on  p.  8, 
vol.  i,  session  of  5609,  printed  Proceedings  of  the  Great  Council  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, a  preamble  and  sundry  resolutions  looking  to  a  union  with  the  ••  Ancient 
Order  of  Red  Men,"  located  in  the  borough  of  Reading,  Pennsylvania,  with 
the  present  Improved  Order. 

Your  Committee  have  already  shown  the  Society  to  have  been  taken  to 
Baltimore  as  early,  at  least,  as  1820;  but  it  existed  there  only  with  alternating 
success,  and  for  a  time,  when  it  ceased  to  exist.  Certain  it  is,  that  it  was  not 
successfully  and  permanently  established  in  that  city  until  the  year  1834.  On 
the  1 2th  of  March  of  that  year  William  Muirhead,  an  old  and  active  member 
of  the  Tribe  at  Philadelphia,  acting  under  the  authority  of  a  commission 
granted  by  Black  Wampum,  or  Generalissimo  George  Knorr,  reorganized  it 
under  the  name  of  the  Red  Men's  Tribe  of  Maryland.  From  causes  which 
appear  to  have  been  the  bane  of  the  Society  in  all  sections  where  it  had  been 
introduced,  but  which  it  is  unnecessary  for  present  purposes  to  enlarge  upon, 
this  Tribe  also  languished,  until  at  length  a  determination  upon  the  part  of  a 
few  of  the  members  to  reform  existing  abuses  was  not  only  developed,  but 
carried  out.  Accordingly,  a  meeting  of  the  Past  Chiefs  and  Representatives, 
selected  for  that  purpose,  convened  at  the  old  Wigwam,  on  Thames  Street, 
Fell's  Point,  Baltimore,  on  the  2Oth  day  of  May,  1835.  The  names  of  the 
brethren  present  at  this  convention  were :  William  T.  Jones,  or  Seamen's 
Friend;  Wm.  Muirhead,  or  Hospitality ;  Charles  Skillman,  or  Camel" s  Hair. 
These  were  Past  Chiefs.  The  Representatives  present  were :  George  A. 
Peter,  or  Link  of  Union,  who  is  still  a  member  of  the  Order,  and  resides  in 
the  State  of  Ohio;  Captain  Joseph  Branson,  or  Cock  of  the  Walk,  who  still 
resides  in  Baltimore,  and  Edward  Lucas,  or  True  Verdict. 

At  the  meeting  just  referred  to,  the  Grand  J  Council  of  Maryland  and  of  the 
United  States,  was  completely  organized,  and  the  hitherto  "  Society  of  Red 
Men"  announced  to  the  world  as  the  IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  RED  MEX.- 

1  By  subsequent  legislation  the  word  Grand,  wherever  it  occurs,  was  abandoned, 
and  adherence  had  to  the  less  pretentious  but  equally  significant  word  Great,  as  ex- 
pressing more  correctly  the  idea  intended  to  be  conveyed  by  the  aboriginal  Red  Men. 

2  As  another  organization  claiming  to  be  RED  MEN  is  in  existence,  it  is  proper  to 
note  that  in  Grand  Sun  5609  a  difficulty  occurred  between  Metamora  Tribe,  No.  4, 
and  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland,  which  determinated  in  the  severance  of  that 
Tribe   from  the    Improved    Order.      The    Tribe    thereupon   assumed   the   title    of 
"  Independent  Order  of  Red  Men."    Subsequently,  5612,  a  similar  difficulty  occurred 
in  Pennsylvania,  with  a  like  result.      These  latter  connected   themselves  with  the 
Independents.     These  disaffected  Tribes  —  indeed,  the  entire  so-called  Independent 
Order  —  are  exclusively  German. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED   STATES.          335 

The  first  chiefs  chosen  by  the  Grand  Council  were :  Grand  Sachem, 
Seamen'' s  Friend;  Grand  Senior  Sagamore,  Hospitality]  Grand  Junior 
Sagamore,  True  Verdict;  Grand  Chief  of  Records,  Link  of  Union;  Grand 
Chief  of  Wampum,  True  Verdict;  Grand  Prophet,  Cock  of  the  Walk. 

It  may  be  noticed  here  that  a  material  and  marked  change  was  effected  in 
the  interior  arrangement  of  the  organization.  The  military  succession  and 
titles  were  abandoned,  and  new  ones  adopted  in  their  stead.  The  re- 
organization and  change  were  effected  without  regard  to,  or  apparent  knowl- 
edge of,  the  existence  of  the  fraternity  elsewhere. 

We  have  shown  already  in  this  report,  by  the  record  of  the  Great  Council 
of  the  United  States,  that  the  "Red  Men's  Society"  existed  in  New  York 
down  to  5609 ;  and  we  have  shown  by  the  Proceedings  of  the  Great  Council 
of  Pennsylvania  that  it  continued  in  that  jurisdiction  as  late  as  the  same  date, 
so  that  had  there  been  a  disposition  so  to  do,  the  act  of  the  Tribe  in  Mary- 
land, assuming  supreme  power  and  changing  the  organization,  might  well 
have  been  questioned.  These  acts,  however,  passed  unchallenged ;  the 
Improved  Order  absorbed  the  Society  in  New  York,  whilst  its  authority  has 
been  established  in  Pennsylvania,  and  the  succession  cannot  now  be  dis- 
puted. 

The  Order  in  Maryland  and  vicinity  having  increased,  it  became  necessary 
to  organize  a  National  Body,  independent  of  and  superior  to  local  or  State 
jurisdiction.  This  was  accomplished  on  the  first  sleep,  third  seven  suns,  — 
Moon,  5607. 

We  have  thus  endeavored  to  sketch,  as  rapidly  as  the  nature  of  our  subject 
would  allow,  a  summary  of  the  history  of  our  affiliation  from  the  earliest  period 
of  its  existence  down  to  the  date  of  its  authentic  records,  which  are  open  and 
accessible  to  all  who  may  be  curious  enough  to  examine  them.  If  we  have 
exhibited  delay  and  tardiness  in  making  this  report,  it  has  been  on  account 
of  the  almost  insurmountable  difficulties  we  had  to  encounter.  When  we 
entered  upon  our  task,  the  history  of  the  Order  was  unknown.  Its  early 
documents  were  buried  in  oblivion,  and  the  knowledge  of  their  existence  had 
passed,  as  it  were,  to  the  tomb  with  the  generation  that  preceded  us.  The 
best  sources  of  information  known  to  us  were  but  vague,  uncertain  and  con- 
tradictory traditions,  which  had  become  interpolated  and  rendered  more 
uncertain  by  the  lapse  of  time.  These  we  have  had  to  analyze,  weigh  and 
compare  in  order  to  ascertain  their  exact  value.  Many  of  the  more  important 
documents,  which  were  unknown  to  us,  we  have  exhumed,  as  it  were,  from 
the  grave  of  the  past,  where  they  have  been  buried  for  the  last  thirty-five 
years,  and  they  must  present  the  history  of  our  Order  in  a  new  and  more 
important  light.  Had  we  presented  our  report  at  an  earlier  session,  and 
relieved  our  minds  from  its  consideration,  those  documents,  with  the 
invaluable  historical  information  they  contain,  would  in  all  human  probability 
have  remained  buried  in  oblivion. 

In  view  of  the  importance  of  these  recovered  documents,  it  is  but  just  that 
the  meed  of  praise  should  be  awarded  to  each  person  who  may  have  con- 
tributed towards  their  recovery. 


336  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

In  the  month  of  April  last,  Charles  Sweed,  a  member  of  Chattahoochee 
Tribe,  No.  17,  of  Philadelphia,  happening  to  meet  a  friend  who  was  in  con- 
versation with  an  old  gentleman  sixty-five  years  of  age,  the  conversation 
turned  upon  Societies,  and  finally  upon  Redmanship.  Mr.  Thomas  J.  Louden- 
slager  (name  of  the  old  gentleman)  stated  that  he  thought  he  was  the  oldest 
Red  Man  in  Philadelphia ;  that  he  was  the  Grand  Recording  Scribe  of  the 
Society  when  it  ceased  operation,  late  in  1831,  or  the  beginning  of  1832; 
that  he  was  authorized  to,  and  did  collect  what  remaining  books,  papers  and 
documents  he  could,  which  he  had  preserved  since  that  time  in  the  orjginal 
case  belonging  to  the  Society.  This  information  brother  Sweed  at  once 
communicated  to  the  Chairman  of  your  Committee  (who  is  also  a  member  of 
Chattahooche  Tribe) .  After  several  visits  he  succeeded  in  purchasing  from 
Mr.  Loudenslager  the  case  and  documents  for  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States,  at  a  net  cost  of  fifty  dollars. 

Another  document  of  some  importance,  referred  to  in  this  report,  is  the 
report  of  the  Committee  on  the  charter  and  principles  of  Calvin  Berden,  in 
1818.  This  was  obtained  from  Mr.  Abram  Britain,  formerly  a  Representa- 
tive to  this  Body,  and  a  former,  member  of  Shawnee  Tribe,  No.  8,  of 
Pennsylvania. 

We  also  acknowledge  our  indebtedness  to  Mr.  William  B.  Smith,  of 
Philadelphia,  for  much  valuable  information  communicated  to  our  Chairman 
concerning  the  "Tribe  of  Columbia"  in  that  city.  He  was  familiar  with 
many  of  the  former  members  of  that  Tribe,  and  his  statements  help  to  fill 
up  a  blank  in  its  documentary  history. 

In  drawing  this  lengthy  report  to  a  close,  it  is  proper  we  should  say  that 
we  have  left  much,  very  much,  untold.  With  a  view  of  placing  all  the  facts 
before  the  members  of  our  fraternity  in  a  more  comprehensive  and  popular 
form,  our  Chairman  is  now  engaged  in  preparing  a  full  and  complete  history 
of  the  Order,  which  will  be  presented  for  your  approval  in  due  time. 

Having,  as  we  believe,  complied  with  the  terms  of  the  resolutions  under 
which  we  were  appointed,  we  now  place  the  result  of  our  labors  in  your  hands, 
and  ask  to  be  discharged. 

Respectfully    submitted,    in    the    bonds    of   Freedom,    Friendship    and 

Charity. 

MORRIS  H.  GORHAM, 

WM.  G.  GORSUCH, 
ANGUS  CAMERON, 
CHARLES  DITMAN, 
WM.  R.  MCFARLANE, 
WM.  H.  FORD. 
BALTIMORE,  Corn  Moon,  G.  S.  D.  375. 

By  its  action  upon  the  report  of  a  committee  the  Great  Coun- 
cil declared  against  "  non-beneficial  "  membership. 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the  ensuing 
term  were  as  follows  ;  — 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.  337 

M.  W.  G.  Incohonee,  JOSHUA  MARTS,  P.  G.  S.,        Delaware. 

M.  W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore,   JOHN  D.  MOORE,  P.  G.  S.,     New  Jersey. 

M.  W.  G.  Junior  Sagamore,   JOHN  B.  SHANER,  Virginia. 

M.  W.  G.  Prophet,  WILLIAM  R.  MCFARLANE,     Delaware. 

M.  W.  G.  Chief  of  Records,    MORRIS  H.  GORHAM,  P.  G.  S.,  Pennsylvania. 

M.W.G.  Keeper  of  Wampum,  WILLIAM  BENSON,  P.  G.  S.,  Maryland. 

M.  W.  G.  Tocakon,  THOMAS  RICH,  District  Columbia. 

M.  W.  G.  Minewa,  GEO.  W.  LINDSAY,  P.  G.  S.,  Maryland. 

The  resolution  of  a  former  council,  by  which  Southerland's 
Manual  was  adopted  as  the  parliamentary  law  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S., 
was  rescinded,  and  Cushing's  Manual  was  substituted. 

The  office  furniture  owned  but  not  used  by  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 
was  donated  to  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland. 

As  a  mark  of  respect  to  the  retiring  Great  Chief  of  Records 
and  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  the  Great  Council  adopted  a 
series  of  very  flattering  Resolutions. 

It  was  voted,  That  this  Great  Council  direct  a  strict  adherence 
to  the  technical  phraseology  of  our  Order,  in  the  transaction  of 
all  business. 

From  the  statistical  reports  from  Great  Councils  and  Tribes 
under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  we  extract 
the  following  information  :  Number  of  Tribes,  1 1 1  ;  adopted, 
2394;  rejected,  174;  suspended,  313;  admitted  by  card,  123; 
withdrawn  by  card,  99;  died,  88;  number  of  members,  10,238; 
expended  for  relief  of  brothers,  14,322  fathoms  25  inches  ;  ex- 
pended for  relief  of  widows,  2118  fathoms  75  inches;  expended 
for  education,  301  fathoms  25  inches. 

1867. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Red  Men's 
Hall,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  on  the  loth  sun  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
376,  M.  W.  Great  Incohonee  Joshua  Maris  presiding. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  Representatives  pres- 
ent from  Maryland,  Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey,  Kentucky,  Lou- 
isiana, Indiana,  Missouri,  Delaware,  Ohio,  Virginia,  and  the 
District  of  Columbia. 

The  longtalk  of  the  Great  Incohonee  was  an  elaborate  docu- 
ment, touching  upon  many  important  matters,  and  making  many 
important  recommendations, 


338  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

He  reported  the  organization  of  Tecumseh  Tribe,  No.  i,  of 
Nashville,  Tenn.  ;  Cherokee  Tribe,  No.  i,  Atlanta,  Ga.  ;  Poca- 
hontas  Tribe,  No.  i,  Detroit,  Mich.  ;  Alknooma  Tribe,  No.  2, 
Nashville,  Tenn. ;  Narragansett  Tribe,  No.  5,  New  Orleans, 
La. ;  and  Iroquois  Tribe,  No.  9,  Brookville,  Ind. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  submitted  a  written  report  of  his 
actions  during  the  interim,  and  of  the  measures  taken  to  remove 
the  property  of  the  Great  Council  from  Baltimore  to  Phila- 
delphia. 

The  term  "  Most  Worthy  "  was  stricken  from  the  titles  of 
Chiefs  of  the  Great  Council. 

It  was  resolved  that  Tammany's  Day,  the  I2th  sun  of  Flower 
moon  be  observed  by  the  Order  as  a  holiday. 

It  was  voted  "  that  the  Great  Chiefs  be  authorized  to  proceed 
and  recover  the  original  book  of  records  and  other  papers  of 
this  Great  Council." 

This  has  reference  to  the  difficulty  attending  the  transfer  of 
property  from  the  former  Great  Chief  of  Records  as  already 
alluded  to. 

It  was  decided  to  kindle  the  next  council  fire  in  the  hunting 
grounds  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

At  this  council  the  old  manner  of  computing  wampum, 
whereby  a  fathom  represented  $1.50,  was  changed  to  the 
present  form,  under  which  a  fathom  represents  $1.00,  a  foot, 
10  cents,  and  an  inch,  i  cent. 

From  the  statistical  reports  of  State  Great  Councils,  and 
Tribes  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  we 
gather  the  following:  Number  of  Tribes,  128;  adopted,  3080; 
rejected,  193;  suspended,  624;  expelled,  208;  reinstated,  50; 
admitted  by  card,  114 ;  withdrawn  by  card,  161  ;  died,  138  ;  Past 
Great  Sachems,  81  ;  Past  Sachems,  1333  ;  Tribes  instituted, 
17;  Tribes  extinot,  4;  number  of  members,  12,160;  amount 
expended  for  relief  of  brothers,  16,496  fathoms  35  inches  ; 
expended  for  relief  of  widows,  8291  fathoms  55  inches;  ex- 
pended for  education,  258  fathoms  30  inches ;  total  receipts  of 
Tribes,  74,320  fathoms  56  inches. 

1868. 
The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Red  Men's 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.  339 

Hall,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  on  the  8th  sun  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
377,  Great  Incohonee  Joshua  Maris  presiding. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  Representatives  pres- 
ent from  Maryland,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Delaware,  New  Jersey, 
Kentucky,  Louisiana,  Indiana,  Michigan,  West  Virginia,  Ten- 
nessee, California,  and  the  District  of  Columbia. 

Among  those  who  were  admitted  for  the  first  time  at  this 
council  was  Past  Sachem  Adam  Smith  of  California,  who  after- 
wards became  Great  Incohonee  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  an  exceedingly  interesting 
longtalk,  which  contained  many  valuable  recommendations,  de- 
cisions, and  suggestions  for  the  benefit  of  the  Order. 

He  began  by  expressing  thankfulness  for  the  prosperous  re- 
sults attending  the  Order  during  the  past  grand  sun.  He  made 
official  announcement  of  the  death  of  John  D.  Moore,  of  New 
Jersey,  Great  Senior  Sagamore  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  and  also  of 
Past  Great  Incohonee  Robert  Sullivan,  of  Baltimore,  Md. 

During  the  grand  sun  he  had  issued  dispensation  for  19 
Tribes,  one  Degree  Council  and  one  Great  Council,  for  all  of 
which  he  recommended  that  charters  be  granted.  The  Tribes 
were  located  one  in  Louisiana,  four  in  Texas,  six  in  California, 
seven  in  Tennessee,  and  one  in  Michigan.  Besides  these  the 
council  fire  of  Wyandotte  Tribe,  No.  8,  Richmond,  Ind.,  had 
been  re-kindled. 

The  Degree  Council  and  the  Great  Council  referred  to  were 
located  in  California. 

He  urged  legislation  which  should  require  the  selection  of 
nothing  but  aboriginal  names  for  Tribes,  that  in  his  opinion 
being  fitting  and  proper,  and  in  accordance  with  the  traditions 
upon  which  the  Order  was  founded.  He  suggested  that  the  word 
"  Improved  "  be  dropped  from  the  title  of  the  Order,  and  that 
the  word  "  Society  "  be  used  in  place  of  "  Order  ; "  and  that  the 
word  "great"  be  substituted  for  "grand"  as  being  more  appro- 
priate and  more  in  conformity  with  the  origin  and  history  of  the 
Order. 

The  first  paper  ever  published  in  the  name  of  the  Order  and 
asking  its  support  is  referred  to  as  follows :  — 

"  It  affords  me  great  pleasure  to  announce  that  a  newspaper,  entitled  Tiie 
Calumet,  is  published  fortnightly  in  San  Francisco,  under  the  auspices  of 


340  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  of  California,  and  is  devoted  to  the  interests 
of  the  Order.  It  professes  to  be  the  organ  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men, 
and  is  justly  entitled  to  such  credit.  It  is  well  managed  and  ably  conducted, 
and  so  far  to  the  membership  has  proved  intensely  interesting.  In  short,  it 
may  safely  be  regarded  as  both  an  honor  and  a  benefit  to  the  Order.  It 
deserves  encouragement,  and  should  receive  the  patronage  of  the  entire 
Brotherhood.1' 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  presented  a  written  report 
detailing  the  measures  taken  for  distributing  supplies  to  the 
Order,  and  other  measures  for  carrying  out  the  votes  of  the 
Great  Council  in  relation  to  printing  and  securing  proper  quar- 
ters for  the  office  of  the  G.  C.  of  R. 

Petitions  were  received  from,  and  charters  granted  for,  Tribes 
and  Great  Councils  in  the  States  of  Indiana,  Texas,  California, 
and  Tennessee. 

For  several  councils  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  had  been  unable  to  liqui- 
date the  arrearages  of  mileage  due  to  former  Representatives. 
At  this  council  the  matter  was  satisfactorily  adjusted,  and  war- 
rants drawn  for  the  full  amount,  thus  placing  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 
free  from  debt  in  this  particular. 

The  run  for  the  election  of  great  chiefs  having  arrived,  the 
Great  Incohonee  decided  that  Past  Sachems  were  eligible  to 
the  position  of  presiding  chief  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  An  appeal 
having  been  taken  from  this  decision,  it  was  reversed  by  the 
Great  Council,  thereby  establishing  the  law  that  none  but  a  Past 
Great  Sachem  is  eligible  to  the  position  of  Great  Incohonee. 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the  ensu- 
ing grand  sun  were  as  follows  :  — 

Great  Incohonee,  JAMES  A.  PARSONS,  P.  G.  S.,  New  Jersey. 

Great  Senior  Sagamore,  GEORGE  W.  LINDSAY,  P.  G.  S.,  Maryland. 

Great  Junior  Sagamore,  ADAM  SMITH,  California. 

Great  Prophet,  JOSEPH  PYLE,  P.  G.  S.,  Delaware. 

Great  Chief  of  Records,  MORRIS  H.  GORHAM,  P.  G.  S.,  Pennsylvania. 

Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  WILLIAM  BENSON,  P.  G.  S.,  Maryland. 

Great  Tocakon,  JOHN  W.  HERBERT,  Pennsylvania. 

Great  Minewa,  JOHN  G.  SNYDER,  P.  G.  S.,  Ohio. 

The  Great  Council  refused  to  adopt  an  amendment  to  the 
laws  giving  the  rank  and  honors  of  a  Past  Sachem  to  a  brother 
serving  in  the  capacity  of  Chief  of  Records  of  his  Tribe  for  five 
successive  srrand  suns.  This  is  mentioned  as  being:  the  first 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES,          341 

attempt  in  that  direction  towards  legislation  which  was  finally 
embodied  in  the  laws  of  the  Order. 

The  Great  Council  refused  to  strike  out  the  word  "  Im- 
proved "  from  the  title  of  the  Order. 

It  was  voted  "that  P.  G.  S.  Morris  H.  Gorham  be  permitted 
to  dispose  of  Diplomas  published  by  him  until  this  Great  Council 
may  see  proper  to  supersede  the  same,  and  that  Great  Councils 
or  Tribes  working  under  this  jurisdiction  may  authorize  the 
fixing  of  their  respective  seals  to  such  Diplomas." 

Appropriate  resolutions  were  adopted  in  memory  of  the  late 
Great  Senior  Sagamore  John  D.  Moore. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  ordered 
to  issue  a  new  charter  for  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland  to 
replace  that  "  lost  or  made  way  with  by  the  late  G.  C.  of  R. 
John  L.  Booker." 

The  Committee  on  Ritual  submitted  a  report  which  was  con- 
sidered in  secret  session  and  presumably  adopted. 

It  was  voted  that  the  distinctive  regalia  of  the  appointed  War- 
riors in  a  Tribe  should  be  a  blue  sash  of  uniform  size  and  shape 
with  the  regalia  of  the  other  chiefs,  with  a  club  as  the  emblem. 
That  of  the  Braves  should  be  of  orange  color,  the  deer's  antlers 
as  the  emblem,  and  aprons  of  the  color  of  the  degree  to  which 
the  wearer  has  attained. 

It  was  ordered  that  the  next  council  fire  be  kindled  in  the 
hunting  grounds  of  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Upon  the  recommendations  of  the  Great  Incohonee  it  was 
voted  that  all  Tribes  hereafter  chartered  by  this  or  any  Great 
Council  shall  have  for  their  titles  Indian  names,  and  that  the 
words  "great  sun"  be  substituted  for  "grand  sun"  in  the 
calendar. 

The  committee  recommended  that  the  title  of  the  presiding 
chief  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  be  changed  from  "  Great  Incohonee  " 
to  "  Great  Tododaho,"  but  the  Great  Council  refused  to  adopt 
the  suggested  change. 

The  titles  of  the  Great  Chiefs  were  further  simplified  by 
striking  out  the  prefix  "  M.  W." 

From  the  statistical  reports  we  extract  the  following  informa- 
tion :  Number  of  Tribes,  168  ;  adopted,  4366 ;  rejected,  279 ; 
suspended,  787 ;  expelled,  240 ;  admitted  by  card,  274,;  with- 


342  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

drawn  by  card,  272;  died,  117;  Tribes  instituted,  38;  Tribes 
extinct,  19;  number  of  members,  19,491  ;  Past  Great  Sachems, 
104;  Past  Sachems,  1826;  total  receipts  of  Tribes,  112,901 
fathoms  3  inches  ;  expended  for  relief  of  brothers,  20,661 
fathoms  13  inches  ;  expended  for  relief  of  widows  and  orphans, 
6386  fathoms  99  inches  ;  expended  for  education  of  orphans, 
493  fathoms  and  3  inches. 

The  great  sun  just  closed  had  brought  marked  prosperity  to 
the  Order.  Its  membership  had  now  reached  nearly  20,000, 
covering  15  States.  The  financial  affairs  of  the  Great  Council 
were  in  a  gratifying  condition,  and  everything  pointed  to  a 
satisfactory  and  prosperous  growth  in  the  immediate  future. 

1869. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Red  Men's 
Hall,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  on  the  I4th  sun  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
378,  Great  Incohonee  James  A.  Parsons  presiding. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  Representatives 
present  from  Maryland,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Delaware,  New 
Jersey,  Virginia,  Kentucky,  California,  Michigan,  Missouri,  and 
Texas. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk,  from  which  we 
glean  the  following  :  — 

He  reported  the  Order  as  being  in  a  generally  prosperous 
condition.  During  his  term  Great  Councils  had  been  instituted 
in  Indiana,  Tennessee,  and  Texas. 

The  Great  Council  of  Indiana  was  instituted  at  Patriot  on  the 
I9th  sun  of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  378  (June  19,  1869). 

The  Great  Council  of  Texas  was  instituted  at  Marshall  on  the 
5th  sleep  of  Cold  moon,  G.  S.  D.  378  (Jan.  5,  1869). 

The  chiefs  of  the  Great  Council  of  Tennessee  are  not  given 
in  the  longtalk  of  the  Great  Incohonee,  as  the  report  of  the 
Vice  Great  Incohonee  by  whom  the  Great  Council  was  insti- 
tuted had  been  mislaid. 

The  Great  Incohonee  reported  the  organization  of  new  Tribes 
in  West  Virginia,  Michigan,  Louisiana,  Illinois,  and  Winnebago 
Tribe,  No.  I,  at  Athens,  Ala. 

The  death  of  Past  Great  Incohonee  Richard  Marley  was 
referred  to  in  appropriate  language. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.  343 

Charters  were  granted  to  the  various  Tribes  and  Great  Coun- 
cils instituted  during  the  great  sun. 

Petitions  were  presented  for  a  Tribe  to  be  located  at  Selma, 
Ala.,  and  for  a  Great  Council  in  West  Virginia,  and  the  prayers 
of  the  petitioners  were  granted. 

It  was  ordered  that  the  next  council  fire  be  kindled  in  the 
hunting  grounds  of  Baltimore,  Md. 

Among  the  States  into  which  the  Independent  Order  of  Red 
Men  had  been  carried  was  California,  and  some  confusion  of 
the  Improved  Order  and  the  Independent  Order  had  arisen, 
which  was  manifested  by  resolutions  presented  from  the  Great 
Council  of  California  urging  some  modification  of  the  name  of 
the  Order  so  as  to  prevent  such  confusion  in  the  future.  The 
matter  was  referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  State  of  the  Order. 
This  Committee  reported  on  the  two  propositions  submitted  by 
the  Great  Council  of  California  in  relation  to  the  union  of  the 
two  Orders,  that  such  a  union  would  be  desirable  and  doubtless 
in  time  would  be  effected,  but  that  overtures  from  the  Inde- 
pendent Order,  and  indications  favorable  to  such  reunion  with 
the  Improved  Order,  would  be  first  desired,  and  the  time  for 
action  evidently  had  not  yet  come. 

The  Great  Council  of  California  also  urged  the  adoption  of 
a  degree  into  which  could  be  admitted  the  wives,  mothers, 
sisters,  and  daughters  of  brothers  of  the  Chief's  Degree.  The 
Committee  on  the  State  of  the  Order  reported  favorably  upon 
this  recommendation  ;  but  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States  was  not  prepared  to  favor  it,  and  the  report  of  the 
Committee  was  laid  upon  the  table. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  submitted  his  longtalk,  which 
gave  in  detail  the  action  taken  by  him  in  printing  and  issuing 
rituals  and  constitutions  during  the  great  sun.  He  also  men- 
tioned the  removal  of  the  office  of  the  Great  Chief  of  Records 
to  No.  56  North  Seventh  Street,  Philadelphia. 

A  resolution  was  adopted  abolishing  the  apron  as  a  part  of 
the  regalia  of  the  Order. 

The  following  resolution  was  referred  to  the  Committee 
on  the  State  of  the  Order,  which  subsequently  made  a  fa- 
vorable report,  and  the  resolution  was  laid  over  under  the 
rules  :  — 


344  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

"  Resolved,  That  State  Great  Councils  are  hereby  authorized  to  confer  the 
Past  Sachem's  Degree  upon  the  Chief  of  Records  of  any  Tribe,  who  shall  have 
served  five  consecutive  great  suns  in  that  position." 

From  the  statistical  reports  of  State  Great  Councils  and 
Tribes  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  we 
glean  the  following  information:  Number  of  Tribes,  213; 
adopted,  5160;  rejected,  309;  suspended,  1219;  expelled,  108  ; 
reinstated,  78  ;  admitted  by  card,  352 ;  withdrawn  by  card, 
421;  died,  159;  number  of  members,  19,571;  Past  Great 
Sachems,  74;  Past  Sachems,  1945;  Tribes  instituted,  41; 
Tribes  extinct,  10;  amount  expended  for  relief  of  brothers, 
30,785  fathoms  and  4  feet ;  expended  for  relief  of  widows,  8941 
fathoms;  expended  for  education,  265  fathoms  55  inches;  total 
receipts  of  Tribes,  152,201  fathoms  82  inches. 

Tribes  were  reported  from  17  States  and  the  District  of 
Columbia.  Pennsylvania  had  reached  Tribe  No.  1 10;  Maryland, 
Tribe  No.  44;  Ohio,  Tribe  No.  47;  Virginia,  Tribe  No.  33; 
New  Jersey,  Tribe  No.  15  ;  Kentucky,  Tribe  No.  12  ;  California, 
Tribe  No.  28  ;  Tennessee,  Tribe  No.  9,  and  Indiana,  Tribe  No. 
13- 

1870. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Red  Men's 
Hall,  Baltimore,  Md.,  on  the  6th  sun  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
379,  Great  Incohonee  James  A.  Parsons  presiding. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  Representatives 
present  from  Maryland,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Delaware,  New 
Jersey,  California,  Michigan,  Missouri,  West  Virginia,  Indiana, 
Tennessee,  and  the  District  of  Columbia. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  the  longtalk  of  his  doings 
for  the  past  great  sun,  from  which  we  extract  the  following 
information  :  — 

"  The  progress  of  our  Order  during  the  past  great  sun  has  been  unparalleled 
during  its  whole  existence.  In  some  of  the  older  jurisdictions  the  increase  can 
be  numbered  by  the  thousands,  whilst  in  many  new  hunting  grounds  our 
council  fires  have  been  lighted  and  bid  fair  to  burn  brightly  as  beacons  to 
'  many  of  the  paleface  nations  '  that  they  may  clearly  see  the  trail  that  leads 
them  to  the  *  Light  of  our  councils,'  and  the  brother  whose  path  may  lead 
him  to  the  setting  sun  will  be  cheered  by  their  light  and  welcomed  by  the 
'sound  of  the  tomahawk1  on  his  way  'across  the  continent,'  whilst  towards 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES,  345 

the  Sunny  South  new  council  fires  have  been  kindled  that  will  vie  in  bright- 
ness with  those  in  other  parts  of  our  country,  and  also  in  the  North  the 
brother  whose  way  may  lead  him  across  the  once  trackless  snow,  may  find 
the  trail  of  the  Improved  Red  Man  and  be  greeted  by  the  bright  light  of  the 
burning  <  Council  Brand.1 

"  The  Order  has  been  introduced  into  four  new  jurisdictions,  and  the 
council  fires  of  our  Tribes  are  brightly  burning  in  twenty-one  States." 

Under  his  direction  the  Great  Council  of  West  Virginia  had 
been  instituted  on  the  2/th  of  Cold  moon,  G.  S.  D.  379  (January 
27,  1870). 

Under  his  direction,  also,  new  Tribes  had  been  organized  in 
Alabama,  Louisiana,  and  Mississippi. 

The  Order  had  also  been  planted  in  Oregon  by  the  institution 
of  Oregonian-Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  i,  which  was  organized  at 
Jacksonville,  Ore.,  on  the  i6th  of  Plant  moon,  G.  S.  D.  379 
(April  1 6,  1870).  This  Tribe  was  quickly  followed  by  La  Lake 
Tribe,  No.  2,  at  Ashland,  and  Multnomah  Tribe,  No.  3,  at  Port- 
land. When  it  is  considered  that  the  brother  who  instituted 
these  Tribes  was  compelled  to  travel  over  1500  miles,  mostly 
by  stage,  and  over  a  rough  country,  with  heavy  expense  and 
very  great  labor,  the  indomitable  spirit  that  resulted  in  their 
institution  may.  well  be  commended. 

He  also  reported  the  institution  of  Piute  Tribe,  No.  I,  at 
Carson  City,  Nevada,  on  the  i8th  of  Buck  moon,  G.  S.  D.  379 
(July  1 8,  1870). 

The  great  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the 
ensuing  term  were  as  follows  : — „ 

Great  Incohonee,  WILLIAM  B.  ECKERT,  P.  G.  S.,  Pennsylvania. 

Great  Senior  Sagamore,  ADAM  SMITH,  P.  G.  S.,  California. 

Great  Junior  Sagamore,  CHARLES  S.  BETTS,  P.  G.  S.,  Ohio. 

Great  Prophet,  JOSEPH  PYLE,  P.  G.  I.,  Delaware. 

Great  Chief  of  Records,  JOSHUA  MARIS,  P.  G.  I.,  Delaware. 

Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  WILLIAM  BENSON,  P.  G.  S.,  Maryland. 

Great  Tocakon,  •     BERNARD  SHANLEY,  West  Virginia. 

Great  Minewa,  GREGORY  B.  KITELY,  Kentucky. 

By  a  supplementary  report  of  the  Committee  on  Credentials, 
Past  Great  Sachem  James  P.  Riely  was  admitted  for  the  first 
time,  as  a  Representative  from  Virginia.  He  afterwards  became 
Great  Incohonee  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 


346  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

The  desire  was  again  manifested  to  unite  the  two  Orders  of 
Red  Men  by  a  communication  from  the  reservation  of  Cali- 
fornia, which  urged  the  Great  Council  to  adopt  legislation  look- 
ing to  the  union  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Red  Men  with 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men.  The  time  was  not  ripe  for 
this  movement  and  nothing  resulted. 

The  new  Tribe  at  Jacksonville,  Ore.,  made  known  its  desire 
for  a  side  degree  into  which  could  be  admitted  the  wives  and 
daughters  of  members  of  the  Order.  The  communication  was 
referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  State  of  the  Order,  which 
subsequently  reported  favorably,  with  a  resolution  directing  that 
such  a  degree  be  prepared  for  wives  and  daughters.  The  report 
of  the  Committee  was  amended  by  striking  out  "and  daugh- 
ters." Pending  further  amendments,  the  subject  was  laid  upon 
the  table  until  the  next  great  sun  council  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  name  of  Past  Great  Sachem  Charles  C.  Conley  appears 
for  the  first  time  upon  the  record  of  this  Great  Council.  At  a 
subsequent  session,  Brother  Conley  was  admitted  as  a  Repre- 
sentative, and  at  the  council  held  at  Boston,  Mass.,  in  G.  S.  D. 
399  (1890),  he  was  given  the  rank  and  honors  of  a  Past  Great 
Incohonee  for  meritorious  service. 

It  was  voted  that  a  committee  of  three  be  appointed  to  present 
a  design  or  designs  for  a  suitable  and  appropriate  Badge,  Mark 
or  Totem,  for  the  members  of  the  Order. 

Charters  were  granted  to  the  various  Tribes  that  had  been 
instituted  since  the  last  great  sun. 

The  proposition  to  merge  the  Independent  Order  of  Red 
Men  with  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  was  decided 
adversely. 

Upon  a  proposition  submitted  that  all  of  the  business  of  the 
Tribe  should  be  transacted  in  the  Chief's  Degree,  the  Commit- 
tee on  the  State  of  the  Order  reported  a  resolution,  which  was 
adopted,  which  in  substance  stated  that  the  Great  Council 
deemed  it  unwise  and  detrimental  to  the  good  of  the  Order  to 
make  the  proposed  change  in  the  work.  The  matter  was  given 
its  quietus  for  the  time,  but  has  been  considered  at  various  sub- 
sequent councils  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  Great  Council,  by  a  very  decisive  vote,  refused  to  restore 
the  apron  formerly  used  as  a  part  of  the  regalia  of  the  Order. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.  347 

The  special  committee  appointed  to  collate  the  laws  of  the 
Great  Council  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  submitted  a  report  which  was 
adopted,  and  it  was  ordered  that  the  same  committee  collate  the 
proceedings  of  the  present  council,  so  that  the  Digest  may  be 
brought  down  to  the  latest  possible  date. 

The  general  laws  for  the  government  of  the  new  degree  of 
the  Order,  to  be  known  as  the  "Council  of  Sachems,"  was  re- 
ported, and  the  consideration  thereof  postponed  until  the  next 
great  sun  council. 

It  was  decided  that  the  council  fire  of  the  next  Great  Council 
be  kindled  in  the  hunting  grounds  of  Philadelphia. 

From  the  statistical  reports  of  State  Great  Councils  and 
Tribes  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S., 
we  glean  the  following  information  :  Number  of  Tribes,  296  ; 
adopted,  6519 ;  rejected,  394 ;  suspended,  1949;  expelled,  138; 
reinstated,  96;  admitted  by  card,  329;  withdrawn  by  card,  439; 
died,  169;  number  of  members,  23,784;  Past  Great  Sachems, 
102  ;  Past  Sachems,  2370 ;  Tribes  instituted,  70 ;  Tribes  ex- 
tinct, 27 ;  amount  expended  for  the  relief  of  brothers,  48,643 
fathoms  19  inches;  expended  for  relief  of  widows,  12,192  fath- 
oms 52  inches  ;  expended  for  education,  373  fathoms  88  inches  ; 
total  receipts  of  Tribes,  181,925  fathoms  85  inches. 

1871. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  in  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  on  the  I2th  sun,  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  380,  Great 
Incohonee  William  B.  Eckert  presiding. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  Representatives 
present  from  Maryland,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Delaware,  New 
Jersey.  California,  Michigan,  Missouri,  West  Virginia,  Indiana, 
Virginia,  Kentucky,  Wisconsin,  Louisiana,  Mississippi,  Nevada, 
Tennessee,  and  the  District  of  Columbia,  being  the  largest 
number  of  reservations  up  to  this  time  represented  in  the 
G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk  covering  the 
transactions  of  the  preceding  great  sun. 

He  reported  the  organization  of  new  Tribes  in  Mississippi, 
Nevada,  Wisconsin,  New  York,  Alabama,  and  Louisiana. 

By  the  organization  of  Mohawk  Tribe,  No.  i,  at  New  York 


348  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

City,  the  Order  was  again  planted  in  that  reservation  and  this 
time  upon  a  permanent  .basis,  as  the  Order  there  has  existed 
and  flourished  from  that  time  to  the  present. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  submitted  a  complete  report  of 
the  transactions  of  his  chieftaincy  during  the  great  sun,  touch- 
ing upon  the  routine  work  which  he  had  performed  and  the 
measures  he  had  adopted  to  carry  out  the  instructions  of  the 
Great  Council. 

From  the  statistical  portion  of  his  report  we  extract  the 
following  information :  Number  of  Tribes,  348 ;  adopted, 
6630;  rejected,  367;  suspended,  2607;  expelled,  320;  rein- 
stated, 187;  admitted  by  card,  366;  withdrawn  by  card,  466; 
died,  238 ;  number  of  members,  26,945  ;  Past  Great  Sachems, 
108 ;  Past  Sachems,  2534;  Tribes  instituted,  51  ;  Tribes  extinct, 
13  ;  amount  expended  for  relief  of  brothers,  51,321  fathoms  31 
inches;  expended  for  relief  of  widows  and  orphans,  12,500 
fathoms  80  inches ;  expended  for  education,  478  fathoms  5  feet ; 
total  receipts  of  Tribes,  213,723  fathoms  62  inches. 

The  place  used  for  the  temporary  wigwam  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 
seems  to  have  been  inconvenient,  as  another  place  was  obtained 
and  the  further  councils  of  the  body  were  continued  at  Poca- 
hontas  wigwam,  northwest  corner  of  Fourth  and  Walnut 
Streets. 

The  committee  chosen  at  a  previous  council  to  prepare  a 
badge,  or  totem,  for  the  use  of  members  of 
the  Order,  made  a  report  recommending  the 
design  submitted  by  Brother  Isaac  Bedichimer 
of  Miantonomo  Tribe,  No.  45,  of  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  which  was  adopted.  A  fac  simile  of  the 
badge  is  here  presented. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  providing  for  the 
appointment  of  a  committee  to  procure  a  new 
set  of  regalia  for  the  chiefs  of  the  Great  Coun- 
cil on  the  ground  that  it  was  "for  the  good 
of  the  Order  that  the  chiefs  of   the  Great 
Council  should  present  a  becoming  appear- 
ance to  palefaces  on  all  public  occasions." 
The  longtalk  of  the  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum  showed  that 
the  total  receipts  of  the  Great  Council  for  the  great  sun  hac} 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.  349 

been  5378  fathoms  and  26  inches,  and  the  amount  expended 
was  3313  fathoms  and  30  inches,  leaving  a  balance  on  hand  of 
2064  fathoms  and  96  inches.  He  also  reported  that  the  arrear- 
ages of  mileage,  for  the  payment  of  which  the  Great  Council 
had  provided,  had  been  adjusted. 

An  amendment  of  importance  was  one  affecting  the  repre- 
sentation in  the  Great  Council.  The  effect  of  the  amendment 
adopted  was  to  reduce  the  representation  very  materially  by  a 
change  in  the  ratio  for  each  Great  Council. 

The  Great  Council  refused  to  strike  out  the  word  "Improved  " 
from  the  title  of  the  Order. 

The  Committee  on  the  State  of  the  Order  submitted  a  report 
on  the  ritualistic  work  which  was  subsequently  considered  in 
Committee  of  the  Whole,  but  no  material  change  in  the  ritual 
was  made. 

The  Committee  on  Diploma  submitted  a  report,  recommend- 
ing that  the  Diploma  published  by  Morris  H.  Gorham  be 
"  adopted  as  the  authorized  Diploma  of  the  Order,"  which 
recommendation  was  adopted. 

The  financial  affairs  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  had  reached  the  very 
pleasing  condition  that  permitted  an  investment  of  500  fathoms 
after  paying  all  indebtedness  of  the  Great  Council. 

The  recommendation  of  the  Great  Incohonee  relating  to  con- 
ferring the  degree  of  Past  Sachem  upon  the  first  Prophet  of  a 
'iribe  at  its  institution  or  organization  was  endorsed  by  the 
Great  Council. 

The  proposition  in  relation  to  a  uniform  password  was  de- 
feated, but  again  presented  in  the  form  of  an  amendment  to  the 
laws  to  be  acted  upon  at  the  succeeding  great  sun  council. 

A  proposition  to  permit  Past  Sachems,  not  Representatives, 
to  visit  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  during  its  council  was  rejected  as 
detrimental  to  the  interests  and  materially  interfering  with  the 
transaction  of  business  of  the  Great  Council. 

Notwithstanding  that  the  Order  was  founded  upon  the  man- 
ners, traditions,  and  customs  of  the  Aborigines  of  the  American 
Continent,  the  Great  Council  adopted  a  report  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  the  State  of  the  Order  to  the  effect  that  under  the 
laws  as  they  then  existed,  North  American  Indians  were  not 
eligible  to  membership. 


350  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Among  the  charters  granted  was  one  for  Saux  Tribe,  No.  2, 
to  be  located  at  Des  Moines,  la. 

The  city  of  Nashville  was  selected  as  the  place  for  kindling 
the  next  great  sun  council  fire. 

The  Committee  on  Regalia  was  directed  to  report  at  the 
next  great  sun  council  a  suitable  standard  or  flag  for  the 
Order. 

1872. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  in  Suwanee 
wigwam,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  in  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  381,  Great 
Incohonee  William  B.  Eckert  presiding. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  Representatives  pres- 
ent from  16  States  and  the  District  of  Columbia.  Nevada, 
Wisconsin,  and  Massachusetts  were  represented  for  the  first 
time  in  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  Among  the  Representatives  admitted 
for  the  first  time  was  Past  Sachem  Thomas  J.  Francis  of  New 
Jersey,  subsequently  Great  Incohonee  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  committee  appointed  for  that  purpose  reported  having 
purchased  regalias  for  the  chiefs  of  the  Great  Council  at  an 
expense  of  208  fathoms. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk  for  the  previous 
great  sun. 

He  reported  the  institution  of  the  Great  Council  of  Michigan 
in  the  hunting  grounds  of  Detroit  on  the  roth  of  Flower  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  381  (May  10,  1872). 

Also  the  Great  Council  of  New  York,  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  on  the  igth  of  Sturgeon  moon,  G.  S.  D.  381  (August  19, 
1872). 

Also  the  Great  Council  of  Rhode  Island,  in  the  city  of  Provi- 
dence, on  the  2Oth  of  Sturgeon  moon,  G.  S.  D.  381  (August 
20,  1872). 

During  the  interim,  he  had  also  issued  dispensations  for 
seven  new  Tribes  in  New  York,  five  in  Rhode  Island,  one  in 
Mississippi,  two  in  Nevada,  and  one  in  Michigan.  He  had  also 
issued  dispensations  by  which  the  Order  was  introduced  for  the 
first  time  into  the  respective  reservations  named  :  for  Washakie 
Tribe,  No.  I,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah  ;  Osage  Tribe,  No.  I,  Fort 
Scott,  Kansas ;  Chemakum  Tribe,  No.  I,  Port  Townsend, 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.          351 

Washington  Territory,  and  Manataug  Tribe,  No.  i,  Marble- 
head,  Mass. 

The  Great  Incohonee  renewed  the  recommendation  for  a  uni- 
versal password,  and  also  recommended  that  only  Past  Great 
Incohonees  be  eligible  to  fill  the  position  of  Great  Prophet,  and 
that  the  form  for  instituting  Tribes  be  revised  and  approved. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  submitted  a  report  in  detail  of 
the  transactions  of  his  chieftaincy  during  the  great  sun,  and 
told  of  the  manner  in  which  he  had  carried  out  the  instructions 
of  the  Great  Council  in  relation  to  advertising  the  badge 
adopted,  distribution  of  printed  matter,  and  the  like.  He 
recommended  the  altering  of  the  Seal  of  the  Great  Council,  so 
that  the  date  thereon  should  conform  with  the  new  system  of 
dating  adopted  by  the  Order.  The  recommendation  was  sub- 
sequently approved  and  the  necessary  authority  given. 

The  statistical  abstract  accompanying  his  report  furnishes 
the  following  information  :  Number  of  Tribes,  422  ;  adopted, 
8654;  rejected,  499;  suspended,  2603;  expelled,  103;  rein- 
stated, 227;  admitted  by  card,  284;  withdrawn  by  card,  525; 
died,  246;  number  of  members,  31,540;  Past  Great  Sachems, 
119;  Past  Sachems,  3160;  Tribes  instituted,  72;  Tribes  de- 
funct, 1 1  ;  amount  expended  for  relief  of  brothers,  58,502 
fathoms  1 3  incrfes  ;  expended  for  relief  of  widows  and  orphans, 
13,853  fathoms  30  inches;  expended  for  education,  401  fath- 
oms 38  inches;  total  receipts  of  Tribes,  236,900  fathoms  68 
inches. 

The  Great  Council  accepted  an  invitation,  from  the  commit- 
tee representing  the  Great  Council  of  Tennessee,  to  visit  the 
State  Capitol  Building,  and  also  the  tomb  of  Ex-President  James 
K.  Polk. 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the  ensu- 
ing term  were  as  follows  :  — 

Great  Incohonee,  JAMES  P.  RIELY,  P.  G.  S.,  Virginia. 

Great  Senior  Sagamore,  CHARLES  S.  BETTS,  P.  G.  S.,  Ohio. 

Great  Junior  Sagamore,  WILLIAM  F.  MEACHAM,  Tennessee. 

Great  Prophet,  PAXON  COATS,  P.  G.  I.,  Ohio. 

Great  Chief  of  Records,  JOSHUA  MARIS,  P.  G.  I.,  Delaware. 

Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  WILLIAM  BENSON,  P.  G.  S.,  Maryland. 

Great  Tocakon,  JOSHUA  D.  BAKER,  Pennsylvania. 

Great  Minewa,  FRANK  W.  ANDERTON,  Ohio. 


352  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

The  Special  Committee  on  Regalia,  appointed  at  the  preced- 
ing council,  was  continued  and  instructed  to  report  at  the  next 
council. 

The  report  of  the  Special  Committee  on  Ritual,  creating  a 
"  Council  of  Sachems,"  was  presented,  which  was  considered  in 
secret  council.  The  substance  of  the  action  taken  was  the 
adoption  of  a  resolution  to  the  effect  that  the  Great  Council 
deemed  it  inexpedient  at  present  to  adopt  any  other  degrees 
than  those  now  incorporated  in  the  ritual. 

The  Great  Council  again  refused  to  adopt  a  universal  pass- 
word. 

The  report  of  the  Committee  on  Finance  showed  a  very 
gratifying  condition  of  the  wampum  belt  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 
Including  the  balance  from  the  last  great  sun  of  2064  fathoms 
and  96  inches,  the  total  receipts  had  been  11,598  fathoms  and 
62  inches,  of  which  there  had  been  paid  out  4085  fathoms  and 
26  inches,  including  the  50x3  fathoms  invested  according  to  the 
instruction  of  the  last  council  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  leaving  a  bal- 
ance of  7513  fathoms  and  36  inches.  From  this  amount,  ap- 
propriations were  recommended,  including  5<x>  fathoms  to  add 
to  the  amount  already  invested,  of  6655  fathoms  and  74  inches, 
leaving  847  fathoms  and  62  inches  for  ordinary  contingent 
expenses. 

Charters  were  ordered  to  be  issued  for  the  Great  Councils 
and  Tribes  instituted  during  the  great  sun. 

It  was  voted  that  in  the  event  of  the  inability  of  a  Representa- 
tive elected  to  attend  this  Great  Council,  the  Great  Sachem  of 
the  reservation  shall  be  empowered  to  appoint  a  qualified  mem- 
ber of  his  Great  Council  to  serve  during  the  succeeding  council 
of  this  Great  Council. 

Important  action  was  taken  by  the  Great  Council  upon  a 
case,  the  points  of  which  are  these  :  A  Great  Council  held  an 
election  at  which  one  brother  received  15  votes  and  another 
brother  received  14  votes.  At  an  adjourned  council,  a  protest 
was  offered  against  the  validity  of  the  election,  and  the  protest 
was  sustained  and  a  new  election  ordered.  In  the  election 
which  followed,  the  brother  elected  at  the  first  council  failed  to 
receive  a  majority  of  the  votes,  and  his  unsuccessful  competitor 
at  the  first  ballot  was  elected.  From  this  action  the  first 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.  353 

brother  appealed.  The  Committee  on  Grievances  reported  that 
the  appeal  should  be  dismissed,  but  the  Great  Council  adopted 
a  resolution  which  declared  that  the  action  of  the  Great  Council 
in  setting  aside  the  election  was  incorrect  and  illegal,  and  that 
the  first-named  brother  was  legally  elected.  The  Great  Coun- 
cil further  recommended  that  the  said  brother  be  raised  up  to 
the  chieftaincy  to  which  he  had  been  elected. 

Wilmington,  Del.,  was  selected  as  the  place  for  kindling  the 
next  great  sun  council  fire. 

Great  Senior  Sagamore  Adam  Smith  was  honored  by  a  vote 
of  thanks  for  his  good  work  in  establishing  the  Order  on  the 
Pacific  Coast. 

I873- 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  the  Masonic 
Temple,  Wilmington,  Del.,  on  the  gth  sun  of  Corn  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  382,  Great  Incohonee  James  P.  Riely  presiding. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  credentials  for  Rep- 
resentatives received  from  21  States  and  the  District  of  Colum- 
bia. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk. 

He  reported  the  institution  of  the  Great  Council  of  Nevada 
on  the  6th  of  Cold  moon,  G.  S.  D.  382  (January  6,  1873). 

Also  the  Great  Council  of  Oregon,  which  was  instituted  on 
the  23d  of  Buck  moon,  G.  S.  D.  382  (July  23,  1873). 

Dispensations  for  additional  new  Tribes  had  been  issued  dur- 
ing the  great  sun,  two  in  Illinois,  one  in  Alabama,  two  in 
Massachusetts,  two  in  Georgia,  one  in  North  Carolina,  and  four 
in  Mississippi. 

Official  report  was  also  made  of  the  institution  of  Sho-sho-nee 
Tribe,  No.  i,  at  Lincoln,  Neb.,  on  the  3ist  of  Travelling  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  381  (October  31,  1872). 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  submitted  an  interesting  report 
stating  the  action  taken  by  him  during  the  interim  to  carry  out 
the  instructions  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  He  referred  to  the  condi- 
tion of  the  Order  and  the  rapid  increase  of  the  Tribes,  member- 
ship, Tribal  property,  and  the  amount  expended  for  relief,  the 
figures  received  by  him  showing  that  there  had  been  an  increase 
of  57  in  the  number  of  Tribes  and  4708  in  the  number  of  mem- 


354  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

bers.  There  had  also  been  an  increase  of  62,960  fathoms  and 
83  inches  in  the  receipts  of  Tribes,  and  25,295  fathoms  and  52 
inches  in  the  amount  expended  for  relief. 

The  statistical  abstract  accompanying  his  report  furnished 
the  following  information  :  Number  of  Tribes,  479 ;  adopted, 
9395  5  rejected,  588  ;  suspended,  3300 ;  expelled,  223  ;  rein- 
stated, 271  ;  admitted  by  card,  359;  withdrawn  by  card,  589; 
died,  324;  number  of  members,  36,248;  Past  Great  Sachems, 
125;  Past  Sachems,  3810;  Tribes  instituted,  77;  Tribes  de- 
funct, 8  ;  amount  expended  for  relief  of  brothers,  77,059  fathoms 
and  87  inches ;  expended  for  relief  of  widows  and  orphans, 
19,815  fathoms  and  8  inches;  expended  for  education,  419 
fathoms  and  48  inches ;  total  receipts  of  Tribes,  299,861 
fathoms  and  5 1  inches. 

A  committee  of  three  was  appointed  to  revise  the  form  of 
raising  up  of  chiefs,  and  also  to  prepare  a  form  for  public  raising 
up  of  same,  and  for  the  institution  of  new  Tribes,  and  also  for 
the  institution  of  Great  Councils. 

The  question  of  uniting  the  several  Orders  of  Red  Men  again 
engaged  the  attention  of  the  Great  Council  by  the  presentation 
of  a  communication  from  the  Arkansas  Tribe  Independent 
Order  of  Red  Men  ;  but  the  Great  Council  decided  not  to  act 
in  the  matter  of  consolidation  until  the  subject  should  be  pre- 
sented by  some  State  or  National  organization. 

The  Great  Council  again  refused  to  strike  out  the  word  "  Im- 
proved "  from  the  title  of  the  Order. 

The  Special  Committee  on  Regalia  and  Jewels  submitted  a 
report  which  under  the  laws  was  laid  over  for  action  at  the 
succeeding  great  sun  council,  when  it  was  adopted.  By  this 
report  the  regalia  and  jewels  of  the  Order  were  brought  into 
symmetrical  proportions  and  relations  one  to  the  other,  and 
have  been  changed  but  slightly  since. 

It  was  voted  inexpedient  to  establish  a  head-dress  to  be  worn 
by  members  of  the  Order  on  public  occasions. 

The  city  of  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  was  selected  as  the  place  for 
kindling  the  next  great  sun  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  arrangements  made  for  entertaining  the  Great  Council 
by  the  Great  Council  of  Delaware  were  more  elaborate  than 
had  been  experienced  up  to  this  time.  Resolutions  of  thanks 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.          355 

were  adopted.  The  address  of  welcome  on  behalf  of  the  Great 
Council  of  Delaware  was  made  by  Past  Great  Incohonee  Joseph 
Pyle,  to  which  a  fitting  response  was  made  by  Great  Incohonee 
Riely. 

1874. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Indianap- 
olis, Ind.,  on  the  8th  sun,  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  383,  Great  Inco- 
honee James  P.  Riely  presiding. 

Previous  to  the  formal  kindling  of  the  council  fire,  an  address 
of  welcome  was  delivered  by  Will  C.  David,  Great  Sachem  of 
Indiana,  to  which  a  fitting  response  was  made  by  Great  Inco- 
honee Riely. 

A  communication  was  received  from  the  Great  Keeper  of 
Wampum  William  Benson  of  Maryland,  stating  his  inability  to 
be  present  at  this  council,  and  resigning  from  the  chieftaincy  of 
Great  Keeper  of  Wampum. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  that  credentials  had 
been  received  from  22  States,  one  Territory,  and  the  District  of 
Columbia. 

Among  the  Representatives  admitted  at  this  council  was 
Great  Sachem  Charles  H.  Litchman,  representing  the  Great 
Council  of  Massachusetts,  who  afterwards  became  Great  Inco- 
honee of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  Great  Incohonee  presented  his  longtalk. 

During  the  great  sun  a  dispensation  had  been  issued  for  the 
Great  Council  of  Massachusetts,  which  was  instituted  in  the 
hunting  grounds  of  Marblehead  on  the  23d  sun  of  Hunting 
moon,  G.  S.  D.  382  (December  23,  1873). 

Dispensations  had  also  been  issued  for  additional  Tribes  in 
Utah  and  Washington  Territories,  and  in  Mississippi  and  North 
Carolina. 

The  Order  had  been  established  in  South  Carolina  by  the 
institution  of  Catawba  Tribe,  No.  i,  at  Columbia,  on  the  5th 
sun  of  Snow  moon,  G.  S.  D.  383  (February  5,  1874).  Two  addi- 
tional Tribes  had  also  been  instituted  in  South  Carolina. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  presented  his  longtalk,  which 
contained  a  brief  account  of  the  Order  in  each  reservation. 

From  the  statistical  abstract   accompanying  his   report,   we 


356  IMPROVED   ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

glean  the  following  information :  Number  of  Tribes,  560 ; 
adopted,  779;  rejected,  553;  suspended,  3642;  expelled,  214; 
reinstated,  312;  admitted  by  card,  492;  withdrawn  by  card, 
706;  died,  318;  number  of  members,  39,953;  Past  Great 
Sachems,  129;  Past  Sachems,  4363;  Tribes  instituted,  94; 
Tribes  extinct,  1 1  ;  amount  expended  for  relief  of  brothers, 
75,817  fathoms  and  99  inches;  expended  for  relief  of  widows 
and  orphans,  20,593  fathoms  and  67  inches;  expended  for  edu- 
cation, 663  fathoms  and  52  inches;  total  receipts  of  Tribes, 
308,838  fathoms  and  96  inches. 

A  communication  was  received  from  the  Secretary  of  the 
Washington  National  Monument  Society,  asking  the  aid  of 
the  G.  C.  U.  S.  in  soliciting. subscriptions  from  the  Tribes  in 
the  Order  towards  the  completion  of  the  unfinished  monument 
to  Washington  at  the  National  Capitol.  The  communication 
was  referred  to  a  committee  which  subsequently  reported,  rec- 
ommending the  matter  to  the  favorable  consideration  of  the 
Tribes  for  such  voluntary  contributions  as  they  felt  able  to  make. 

A  communication  was  received  from  the  Great  Council  of 
California,  urging  the  necessity  and  expediency  of  a  union  of  the 
Orders  of  Red  Men  in  the  United  States.  The  matter  was 
referred  to  a  committee,  and  on  its  report  the  Great  Council 
voted  to  adhere  to  its  previous  action,  which  was  in  effect  that 
whenever  a  proposition  presenting  a  definite  plan  of  action 
came  to  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  from  any  organization  having  due 
authority,  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  would  act  thereon. 

The  proposition  to  transact  all  the  business  of  Tribes  in  the 
Chief's  Degree  was  renewed,  and  met  the  usual  fate  of  defeat. 

A  proposition  to  institute  a  side  degree  for  ladies  was  received 
from  the  Great  Council  of  Michigan,  and  referred  to  a  special 
committee.  The  committee  subsequently  reported  inexpedient 
to  legislate,  and  the  report  was  adopted. 

The  Great  Council  again  refused  to  adopt  the  universal  pass- 
word. 

Announcement  was  made  of  the  death  of  Vice  Great  Incoho- 
nee  A.  Curry,  of  Carson  City,  Nev.,  a  brother,  by  whose  untir- 
ing energy  and  zeal  the  Order  was  introduced  into  that  State, 
and  appropriate  resolutions  were  adopted  in  commemoration  of 
his  services. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    Of  UNITED  STATES.          357 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the  ensuing 
term  were  as  follows  :  — 


Great  Incohonee,  GEORGE  W.  LINDSAY,  P.  G.  S.,  Maryland. 

Great  Senior  Sagamore,  MORRIS  H.  GORHAM,  P.  G.  S.,  Pennsylvania. 

Great  Junior  Sagamore,  J.  P.  H.  WENTWORTH,  P.  G.  S.,  California. 

Great  Prophet,  PAXON  COATS,  P.  G.  I.,  Ohio. 

Great  Chief  of  Records,  JOSHUA  MARIS,  P.  G.  I.,  Delaware. 

Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  JOSEPH  PYLE,  P.  G.  I.,  Delaware. 

Great  Tocakon,  JOHN  DUMBELL,  Pennsylvania. 

Great  Minewa,  CHRISTIAN  SEIBKE,  West  Virginia. 

A  proposition  from  the  Great  Council  of  Tennessee  to  estab- 
lish a  uniform,  for  the  use  of  members,  was  considered  and 
rejected. 

Since  the  paper  published  in  the  interest  of  the  Order  at  San 
Francisco  under  the  name  of  the  Calumet  had  become  de- 
funct, there  had  been  no  publication  issued  in  the  interest  of 
the  Order.  At  this  council,  however,  notice  was  given  that  the 
publication  had  been  commenced  at  Easton,  Pa.,  of  a  paper 
called  the  Council  Brand,  under  the  management  of  brother, 
now  Past  Great  Sachem,  T.  D.  Tanner.  The  matter  was  re- 
ferred to  the  Committee  on  the  State  of  the  Order,  which  sub- 
sequently made  a  report  which  was  adopted,  commending  it  to 
the  favorable  consideration  of  the  brotherhood. 

A  committee  was  chosen  to  compile  and  revise  the  laws  of  the 
G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  report  of  the  Committee  on  Regalia  and  Jewels,  submitted 
at  the  last  great  sun  council,  was  taken  up  and  adopted. 

The  Committee  on  Finance  submitted  its  report,  by  which  it 
was  shown  that,  including  the  balance  on  hand  from  the  last 
Great  Council  of  1888  fathoms  and  52  inches,  there  was  avail- 
able an  amount  of  5858  fathoms  and  55  inches.  Appropria- 
tions were  recommended  amounting  to  5723  fathoms  and  97 
inches,  leaving  a  balance  of  134  fathoms  and  58  inches  in  addi- 
tion to  1000  fathoms  invested  in  the  Utah  Savings  Bank  of 
Baltimore,  Md.  Among  the  recommendations  of  the  Committee 
was  one  for  an  appropriation  of  3500  fathoms  for  mileage  and 
per  diem  of  the  Representatives  in  attendance  at  this  council. 
This  was  amended  to  make  the  amount  4500  fathoms. 


358  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

It  was  voted  that  the  next  great  sun  council  fire  be  kindled 
in  the  hunting  grounds  of  Richmond,  Va. 

We  have  already  mentioned  the  action  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  at  a 
previous  council  by  which  membership  was  denied  to  members 
of  the  Indian  race,  notwithstanding  the  fact  the  ritual  of  the 
Order  is  founded  on  the  manners,  traditions,  and  customs  of  the 
Aborigines  of  the  American  Continent.  Among  the  cases  con- 
sidered by  the  Committee  on  Appeals  and  Grievances  at  this 
council  was  one  involving  the  question  of  permitting  member- 
ship to  two  applicants  who  were  descendants  of  the  Indian  race. 
Opekasset  Tribe,  No.  122,  of  Pennsylvania,  had  adopted  the 
two  persons  referred  to,  and  by  direction  of  the  Great  Council 
of  Pennsylvania  the  persons  were  afterwards  expelled.  The 
Tribe  appealed  to  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  and  the  Committee  on 
Appeals  and  Grievances  sustained  the  appeal,  and  directed  the 
Great  Council  of  Pennsylvania  to  re-admit  the  two  persons. 

In  secret  council  forms  for  instituting  Great  Councils  and  for 
raising  up  of  chiefs  of  Tribes  were  adopted.  In  regular  council 
it  was  voted  that  with  the  approval  of  the  Great  Incohonee  or 
Great  Sachem,  permission  be  granted  Tribes  to  use  in  public 
the  new  form  for  raising  up  of  chiefs. 

Action  was  taken  at  this  Great  Council  which  was  very  far 
reaching  in  its  effect,  and  had  influence  upon  the  Order  during 
the  succeeding  six  great  suns  not  contemplated  by  those 
by  whose  votes  said  action  prevailed.  The  Committee  on 
Finance  had  recommended  an  appropriation  of  3500  fathoms 
for  mileage  and  per  diem.  In  addition  to  this  there  were  left 
on  deposit  in  the  Savings  Bank  1000  fathoms  which  could  have 
been  used  judiciously  for  the  extension  of  the  Order,  and  the 
payment  of  necessary  expenses ;  but  the  Great  Council  voted  to 
apply  this  also  to  the  payment  of  mileage  and  per  diem,  and 
thus  deprived  the  incoming  great  chiefs  of  all  means  for  propa- 
gating and  strengthening  the  Order.  As  a  result,  the  efforts 
of  the  great  chiefs  were  nearly  paralyzed,  and  the  growth  of  the 
Order  completely  checked.  It  will  be  noticed  by  the  statistical 
abstracts  that  a  steady  growth  for  many  great  suns  had  been 
recorded,  until  at  the  council  in  1874  the  number  had  reached 
39,953.  The  full  effect  of  the  unwise  legislation  here  referred 
to  did  not  begin  to  be  felt  until  after  the  report  was  made  for 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.          359 

the  council  held  in  1875.  At  this  latter  council  the  highest 
point  in  membership  in  the  history  of  the  Order  up  to  this 
time  was  reached,  the  membership  then  being  40,504.  From 
this  point  it  receded  with  each  succeeding  great  sun,  until 
G.  S.  D.  388  (December,  1879),  when  it  had  fallen  off  to  27,214. 
By  this  time,  with  stringent  economy,  the  funds  at  the  disposal 
of  the  chiefs  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  had  begun  again  to  accumulate. 
There  was  more  wampum  for  legitimate  expenses,  and  for  use 
in  propagating  the  principles  of  the  Order.  The  increase  begun 
in  1879,  nas  continued  until  the  membership  has  finally  been 
brought  to  the  magnificent  proportions  of  the  present  time, 
when,  according  to  the  latest  reports  received  by,  the  Great 
Chief  of  Records,  it  is  about  140,000. 

1875. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  in  the  wigwam 
of  Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  14,  at  Richmond,  Va.,  on  the  I4th  of 
Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  384,  Great  Incohonee  George  W.  Lindsay 
presiding. 

Previous  to  the  formal  kindling  of  the  council  fire,  on  behalf 
of  the  Great  Council  of  Virginia,  P.  G.  I.  James  P.  Riely  de- 
livered an  address  of  welcome,  to  which  a  fitting  response  was 
made  by  Great  Incohonee  Lindsay. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  that  credentials  had 
been  received  from  23  States  and  the  District  of  Columbia. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk  for  the  past 
great  sun. 

He  reported  the  organization  of  additional  Tribes  in  Alabama, 
Illinois,  Wisconsin,  North  Carolina,  and  Mississippi,  and  the  re- 
kindling of  the  council  fire  of  Cherokee  Tribe,  No.  I,  of  Georgia. 

The  Order  had  been  introduced  into  the  State  of  New 
Hampshire  by  the  institution  of  Paugus  Tribe,  No.  I,  at  Rol- 
lingsford,  and  into  the  State  of  Minnesota  by  the  institution  of 
Minnehaha  Tribe,  No.  i,  at  St.  Paul. 

The  Order  had  become  defunct  in  Nebraska  by  the  extinction 
of  the  council  fire  of  Sho-Sho-nee  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Lincoln. 
The  reason  for  this  extinction  was  given  as  improper  instruction 
at  the  time  of  organization. 


360  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

The  Tribes  in  Louisiana  and  in  the  State  of  Texas  had 
become  extinct  through  the  ravages  of  the  yellow  fever,  one 
Tribe  at  Shreveport  reporting  that  five  of  the  seven  chiefs  had 
died  with  the  disease.  This  is  also  reported  to  have  caused 
considerable  difficulty  in  reclaiming  the  work  and  books  of  the 
extinct  Tribes. 

The  longtalk  of  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  was  submitted, 
which  contained  a  brief  summary  of  the  condition  of  the  Order 
in  each  reservation. 

By  unanimous  vote,  Philadelphia  was  selected  as  the  place 
for  kindling  the  next  great  sun  council  fire. 

A  ritual  for  "a  Council  of  Squaws"  was  presented  and  re- 
ferred to  a  committee,  but  the  Great  Council  was  not  ready  to 
adopt  the  innovation  and  the  proposition  was  defeated. 

The  question  of  a  suitable  uniform  for  public  parade  was  in- 
troduced by  the  Representatives  from  Massachusetts,  but  the 
Great  Council  was  not  yet  ready  to  approve,  and  therefore  sub- 
sequently adopted  the  report  of  the  committee  to  which  the 
matter  was  referred,  that  it  would  be  injudicious  at  this  time 
to  recommend  the  adoption  of  any  uniform  other  than  the 
present  regalia  of  the  Order.  The  same  action  was  taken  in 
relation  to  a  similar  proposition  to  adopt  a  uniform  head-dress 
to  be  worn  by  members  of  the  Order  on  public  occasions. 

The  Committee  on  Revision  and  Compilation  of  the  Laws 
presented  its  report,  which  was  considered,  and  a  complete  code 
of  laws  adopted.  After  which  the  same  Committee  was  di- 
rected to  revise  and  compile  the  Digest,  and  report  thereon  at 
the  next  great  sun  council. 

An  important  matter  acted  upon  at  this  council  was  the 
adoption  of  the  flag  or  standard  of  the  Order  as  follows  :  — 

1st.  The  Flag  or  Standard,  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  shall  be  in 
the  form  of  an  oblong  square  or  parallelogram,  in  the  proportion  of  seven 
long  to  five  wide. 

2d.  It  shall  consist  of  a  white  field,  five  wide  and  seven  high,  attached  to 
which  shall  be  four  horizontal  bars,  of  equal  width,  the  aggregate  width  of 
the  four  being  equal  to  the  height  of  the  field. 

3d.  The  color  of  the  bars  respectively  shall  be  green,  orange,  blue  and 
scarlet,  the  green  bar  being  at  the  bottom,  and  the  others  placed  above  it  in 
the  order  above  enumerated. 

4th.   A  purple  stripe,  of  one-half  the  width  of  one  of  the  bars,  shall  enclose 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES. 


361 


the  entire  circumference  of  the  flag,  the  outer  edge  of  the  purple  stripe  (ex- 
cept where  attached  to  the  staff)  shall  be  trimmed  with  fringe  composed  of 
the  emblematic  colors  in  the  flag. 

5th.  Upon  the  base  or  lower  edge  of  the  white  field  shall  be  delineated  the 
upper  section  of  the  globe,  showing  portions  of  the  eastern  and  western  con- 
tinents, the  date  G.  S.  D.  I  appearing  immediately  above  the  globe  on  the 
edge  of  the  field  next  the  staff,  and  the  date  of  the  common  era  appearing  in 
like  manner  and  position  on  the  opposite  edge  of  the  field. 

6th.  Above  the  globe  and  in  the  centre  of  the  field  shall  appear  the  Ameri- 
can eagle,  bearing  the  emblems  of  our  Order  in  his  talons,  and  in  his  beak  a 
scroll  or  ribbon  containing  the  legend  or  motto  of  our  Order,  "  Freedom, 
Friendship  and  Charity,"  and  upon  his  breast  the  shield  or  escutcheon,  with 
the  four  emblematic  bars,  and  a  field  upon  which  shall  appear  the  four  mystic 
characters,  T.  O.  T.  E. 

7th.  Above  the  eagle  shall  appear  thirteen  stars  ;  upon  the  horizontal  bars 
may  appear  the  name  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  the  Great 
Council  of  a  State  or  of  the  Tribe  to  be  designated  by  it. 

8th.  The  staff  shall  be  surmounted  by  the  eagle  of  the  Order,  and  shall  be 
decorated  with  cord  and  tassels  displaying  the  emblematic  colors  of  the  Order. 

Resolved,  That  the  foregoing  described  flag  be,  and  it  is  hereby  declared, 
the  flag  or  standard  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

The  following  is  an  engraving  of  the  flag  above  described  :  — 

'  amiiuitiiu»uimnimuiH»uimuimvMiu^ 


rULOW  BLUE  #19 


The  report  of   the  Committee  on  Finance  showed  that  the 
expenses  for  the  preceding  great  sun  had  exceeded  the  receipts 


362  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

in  the  sum  of  14  fathoms  and  70  inches.  Among  the  appropri- 
ations was  one  of  1835  fathoms  and  45  inches  for  the  unpaid 
bills  of  the  past  fiscal  great  sun.  This  left  available  for  mile- 
age and  per  diem  of  Great  Chiefs  and  Representatives  in  attend- 
ance at  the  present  council  only  2700  fathoms. 

Charters  were  granted  to  the  various  Tribes  for  which  dispen- 
sations had  been  issued  during  the  great  sun. 

From  the  statistical  abstract  presented  by  the  Great  Chief  of 
Records  we  present  the  following  information :  Number  of 
Great  Councils,  19;  Number  of  jurisdictions  having  Tribes  but 
no  Great  Council,  16  ;  total  number  of  Tribes,  582  ;  adopted, 
6643;  rejected,  393;  suspended,  5460;  reinstated,  385;  ad- 
mitted by  card,  375  ;  withdrawn  by  card,  550  ;  died,  344;  num- 
ber of  members,  40,504 ;  Past  Great  Sachems,  145 ;  Past 
Sachems,  4935  ;  Tribes  instituted,  58 ;  Tribes  extinct,  22 ; 
amount  expended  for  relief  of  brothers,  91,520  fathoms  and  77 
inches;  expended  for  relief  of  widows  and  orphans,  20,167 
fathoms  and  24  inches ;  expended  for  education,  463  fathoms 
and  95  inches;  total  receipts  of  Tribes,  315,245  fathoms  and 
30  inches. 

1876. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  in  the  wigwam 
of  the  Chattahoochee  Tribe,  Girard  Avenue,  Philadelphia,  Pa., 
on  the  1 2th  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  385,  Great  Incohonee 
George  W.  Lindsay  presiding. 

Previous  to  the  kindling  of  the  council  fire  the  Great  Council 
was  welcomed  to  the  hunting  grounds  of  Pennsylvania  by  Past 
Great  Incohonee  A.  J.  Baker,  in  an  interesting  longtalk,  to 
which  appropriate  response  was  made  by  Great  Incohonee 
Lindsay. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  on  behalf  of  Great  Junior  Saga- 
more Wentworth  presented  to  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  a  beautiful 
tomahawk,  which  was  accepted  in  fitting  terms  by  the  Great 
Incohonee. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  that  credentials  had 
been  received  from  32  reservations. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk. 

He  had  given  dispensations  for  additional  Tribes  in  Missis- 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.          363 

sippi,  New  Hampshire,  Illinois,  and  Kansas.  The  Order  had 
been  introduced  into  the  reservation  of  Maine  by  the  institution 
of  Squando  Tribe,  No.  I,  at  Biddeford. 

The  Order  had  also  been  reorganized  in  Nebraska  by  the 
institution  of  Omaha  Tribe,  No.  2,  at  Omaha. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  submitted  his  longtalk,  which, 
as  usual  with  this  chief,  was  an  exhaustive  summary  of  the 
transactions  of  his  chieftaincy  during  the  great  sun,  and  a 
condensed  statement  of  the  condition  of  the  Order  in  the 
United  States. 

Accompanying  his  report  was  the  statistical  abstract,  from 
which  we  learn  there  were  18  Great  Councils  and  17  reservations 
having  no  Great  Council ;  total  number  of  Tribes,  558  ;  adopted, 
3195;  reinstated,  220;  admitted  by  card,  122;  rejected,  245; 
suspended,  3543;  expelled,  112;  withdrawn  by  card,  343;  died, 
255;  number  of  members,  39,516;  Past  Great  Sachems,  146; 
Past  Sachems,  4897  ;  amount  expended  for  relief  of  brothers, 
55,546  fathoms  and  64  inches;  amount  expended  for  relief  of 
widows  and  orphans,  22,936  fathoms  and  38  inches ;  expended 
for  education,  382  fathoms  and  31  inches;  total  receipts  of 
Tribes,  197,496  fathoms  and  19  inches;  Tribes  instituted,  20; 
Tribes  extinct,  20. 

From  the  State  of  Indiana  came  a  proposition,  which,  for  the 
first  time,  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  Great  Council  a  plan 
for  engrafting  upon  the  laws  of  the  Order  a  system  of  life  insur- 
ance for  its  members.  The  proposition,  together  with  other 
suggestions  from  other  Representatives,  was  referred  to  the 
Special  Committee  on  Insurance  which  subsequently  reported  a 
law  governing  the  Widows  and  Orphans'  Benefit  Fund.  The 
report  of  the  Committee  was  accepted,  and  consideration  thereon 
postponed  until  the  next  great  sun  council. 

The  city  of  Columbus,  Ohio,  was  selected  as  the  hunting  grounds 
in  which  the  next  great  sun  council  fire  should  be  kindled. 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the  ensu- 
ing great  sun  were  as  follows  :  — 

Great  Incohonee,  ADAM  SMITH,  P.  G.  S.,  California. 

Great  Senior  Sagamore,  WILL  C.  DAVID,  P.  G.  S.,  Indiana. 

Great  Junior  Sagamore,  CHARLES  H.  LITCHMAN,  P.  G.  S.,  Massachusetts. 

Great  Prophet,  ANDREW  J.  BAKER,  P.  G.  I.,  Pennsylvania. 


364  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Great  Chief  of  Records,        JOSHUA  MARTS,  P.  G.  I.,  Delaware. 

Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  JOSEPH  PYLE,  P.  G.  I.,  Delaware. 

Great  Tocakon,  JAMES  A.  Moss,  P.  G.  S.,  Pennsylvania. 

Great  Minewa,  CHARLES  S.  BETTS,  P.  G.  S.,  Ohio. 

A  committee  of  three  was  appointed  to  prepare  a  new  form 
of  funeral  ceremony,  and  report  the  same  at  the  next  great  sun 
council  in  printed  form. 

At  this  council  provision  was  made  for  translating  the  ritual 
into  the  French  language. 

At  this  council,  also,  a  proposition  was  offered  having  in  view 
the  establishment  of  a  Permanent  Fund  for  the  G.  C.  U.  S., 
and  laid  over  under  the  rules  until  the  next  great  sun  council. 

A  ceremony  for  laying  corner-stones  of  wigwams  was 
adopted. 

1877. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Columbus, 
Ohio,  on  the  nth  sun  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  386,  Great  Inco- 
honee  Adam  Smith  presiding. 

Previous  to  the  formal  kindling  of  the  council  fire,  Repre- 
sentative Joseph  Dowdall,  of  Ohio,  welcomed  the  Great  Council 
to  the  hunting  grounds  of  Columbus,  in  an  appropriate  longtalk, 
to  which  Great  Incohonee  Smith  responded. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  submitted  its  report,  by  which 
it  was  learned  that  credentials  had  been  received  from  23  States 
and  the  District  of  Columbia.  Among  those  admitted  as  Rep- 
resentatives for  the  first  time  at  this  council  were  Charles  C. 
Conley,  of  Pennsylvania,  who  afterwards  was  declared  Past 
Great  Incohonee  for  meritorious  service,  and  William  H.  Hy- 
ronemus,  of  Tennessee,  who  afterwards  became  Great  Incohonee 
of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  longtalk  of  the  Great  Incohonee  was  presented,  which 
gave  an  account  of  the  matters  that  had  come  under  his  juris- 
diction during  the  great  sun.  Among  other  things  mentioned 
was  the  introduction  of  the  Order  at  the  Hawaiian  Islands,  by 
the  institution  of  Hawaiian  Tribe,  No.  i,  at  Honolulu.  It  may 
be  here  mentioned  in  passing,  that  this  Tribe  flourished  for  a 
few  great  suns  but  finally  became  extinct.  It  included  among 
its  members  King  Kalakaua  and  some  of  the  leading  people  of 
the  Island. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.          365 

He  reported  the  institution  of  three  additional  Tribes  in  Illi- 
nois, one  in  Kansas,  and  one  in  Georgia. 

He  made  formal  mention  of  the  death  of  Past  Great  Inco- 
honee  Angus  Cameron,  of  Pennsylvania.  He  earnestly  recom- 
mended a  revision  of  the  ritualistic  work  of  the  Order.  He  also 
recommended  consideration  of  the  subject  of  taxation  and  rep- 
resentation, and  that  the  Vice  Great  Incohonee  in  charge  of  a 
State  reservation  at  the  time  a  new  council  is  instituted,  be 
made  the  Great  Prophet  of  said  Great  Council,  with  the  title 
and  rank  of  Past  Great  Sachem. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  submitted  his  usual  elaborate 
and  comprehensive  report  of  matters  coming  under  his  juris- 
diction. 

The  statistical  abstract  accompanying  the  report  of  the  Great 
Chief  of  Records  showed  that  there  were  Great  Councils  in  18 
States  and  the  District  of  Columbia ;  Tribes  under  the  imme- 
diate jurisdiction  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  in  14  States  and  2  Terri- 
tories ;  total  number  of  Tribes,  557 ;  adopted,  4288  ;  reinstated, 
313;  admitted  by  card,  326;  rejected,  233;  suspended,  6431; 
expelled,  184;  withdrawn  by  card,  410;  died,  381  ;  number  of 
members,  36,422 ;  Past  Great  Sachems,  166 ;  Past  Sachems, 
5124;  amount  expended  for  relief  of  brothers,  85,751  fathoms 
and  44  inches ;  expended  for  relief  of  widows  and  orphans, 
33,640  fathoms  and  88  inches;  expended  for  education,  317 
fathoms  and  96  inches  ;  total  receipts  of  Tribes,  300,680  fathoms 
and  57  inches;  Tribes  instituted,  18;  Tribes  extinct,  12. 

The  provisions  of  the  local  committee  of  Columbus  for  the 
entertainment  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  were  very  elaborate,  and  the 
hospitality  will  long  be  remembered  by  those  present. 

The  trial  through  which  the  Order  was  passing  is  also  in- 
dicated by  the  report  of  the  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  who 
deplored  the  fact  that  the  receipts  for  the  great  sun  had  fallen 
much  below  the  estimated  income,  owing,  no  doubt,  to  the  great 
depression  of  business  all  over  the  land,  and  that  the  Tribes  and 
State  Great  Councils  have  not  ordered  supplies  as  anticipated 
by  the  Finance  Committee.  The  progress  of  the  Order  was 
not  only  seriously  retarded,  but  absolutely  prevented,  through 
lack  of  necessary  wampum  in  the  hands  of  the  chiefs  of  the 
G.  C.  U.  S.,  to  properly  extend  it  through  the  land. 


366  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

At  this  council  a  proposition  came  from  Indiana  to  adopt  a 
uniformed  side  degree  for  the  Order  which  should  use  the  Con- 
tinental (1776)  Soldiers'  uniform  as  the  distinguishing  badge  or 
emblem  of  said  degree.  The  Great  Council  refused  to  endorse 
the  proposition. 

At  this  council  a  new  departure  was  made  in  the  adoption  of 
a  beneficiary  law,  under  whose  provisions  it  was  expected  that 
a  sum  not  exceeding  2000  fathoms  would  be  paid  to  the  bene- 
ficiaries of  a  deceased  member.  As  the  law  then  adopted  dif- 
fers materially  from  that  afterward  in  operation,  we  deem  it 
unnecessary  to  make  more  than  this  passing  allusion  to  the 
legislation  adopted. 

The  Representative  from  Nebraska,  in  an  eloquent  longtalk, 
presented  various  articles  used  by  the  aboriginal  people  of  this 
country,  which  were  accepted  with  the  grateful  thanks  of  the 
Great  Council,  and  the  articles  deposited  with  the  Great  Chief 
of  Records,  to  await  the  future  action  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  This 
is  the  first  attempt  by  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States 
to  make  a  collection  of  Indian  relics. 

The  article  laid  over  from  the  last  great  sun  council,  estab- 
lishing a  Permanent  Fund  for  the  Order,  was  taken  up  and 
adopted. 

Resolutions  of  respect  to  the  memory  of  P.  G.  I.  Angus 
Cameron  were  adopted. 

The  special  committee  on  that  subject  submitted  a  form  for 
a  funeral  ceremony.  The  matter  was  considered  briefly,  and 
finally  referred  to  the  next  great  sun  council. 

1878. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Red  Men's 
Hall,  Baltimore,  Md.,  on  the  roth  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  387, 
Great  Incohonee  Adam  Smith  presiding. 

Previous  to  the  formal  kindling  of  the  council  fire,  an  address 
of  welcome  to  the  visiting  Chiefs  and  Representatives  was  de- 
livered by  Great  Sachem  John  H.  Bennett,  to  which  Great  Inco- 
honee Smith  appropriately  responded. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  that  credentials  had 
been  received  from  22  States. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED   STATES.  367 

The  longtalk  of  the  Great  Incohonee  was  submitted,  in  which 
he  congratulated  the  Great  Council  that,  although  the  great  sun 
just  passed  had  not  been  one  of  marked  prosperity,  neither  had 
it  been  altogether  one  of  clouds  and  darkness. 

He  reported  the  institution  of  the  Great  Council  of  Illinois  at 
Pekin  on  the  I3th  of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  387  (June  13,  1878). 

During  the  great  sun  dispensations  had  been  granted  by  him 
for  additional  Tribes  in  Illinois  and  Georgia. 

Among  the  matters  which  he  earnestly  recommended  to  the 
consideration  of  the  Great  Council  was  the  importance  of  mak- 
ing provisions  to  send  a  qualified  chief  into  the  several  portions 
of  the  Great  Reservation  of  the  United  States  to  instruct  weak 
Tribes  ;  for  a  revision  of  the  ritual  ;  changes^  in  the  Beneficiary 
Law ;  for  a  union  between  the  branches  of  the  Order  of  Red 
Men,  and  for  the  reduction  of  the  charter  fee  of  State  Great 
Councils.  He  reported  that  the  applications  for  membership 
in  the  Beneficiary  Association,  adopted  at  the  previous  council, 
had  not  been  as  numerous  as  had  been  desired  and  anticipated. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  submitted  a  longtalk  of  the  trans- 
actions of  his  chieftaincy,  which  was  full  and  complete. 

From  the  statistical  abstract  presented  by  the  Great  Chief  of 
Records,  we  glean  the  following  information :  Great  Councils, 
19;  reservations  without  Great  Councils,  17;  total  number  of 
Tribes,  525  ;  Tribes  instituted,  9  ;  Tribes  reorganized,  5  ;  Tribes 
extinct,  46  ;  adopted,  2575  ;  reinstated,  414 ;  admitted  by  card, 
367;  rejected,  108  ;  suspended,  6266  ;  expelled,  97;  withdrawn  by 
card,  496;  died,  303  ;  Past  Great  Sachems,  172  ;  Past  Sachems, 
4622  ;  amount  expended  for  relief  of  brothers,  73,073  fathoms 
and  35  inches  ;  expended  for  relief  of  widows  and  orphans,  3358 
fathoms  and  6  inches ;  expended  for  burial  of  dead,  22,205 
fathoms  and  4  inches ;  expended  for  education,  224  fathoms  and 
48  inches;  total  receipts  of  Tribes,  257,427  fathoms  and  21 
inches;  amount  invested  by  Tribes,  195,820  fathoms  and  97 
inches ;  amount  in  Tribal  wampum  belts,  49,737  fathoms  and 
83  inches. 

A  lengthy  communication  was  submitted  from  the  Great 
Council  of  California,  urging  a  union  between  the  Independent 
Order  and  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men.  The  matter  was 
referred  to  a  committee  which  subsequently  reported  in  favor  of 


368  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

referring  the  matter  to  a  special  committee  with  authority  to  sit 
during  the  recess,  and  consult  with  such  similar  committee  as 
may  be  appointed  by  the  Independent  Order,  and  to  submit  a 
full  report  at  the  next  great  sun  council,  together  with  such 
detailed  law  for  the  union  of  the  two  Orders  as  may  be  agreed 
upon  by  such  joint  committee  should  an  agreement  be  reached. 

At  this  council  the  proposition  was  again  submitted  for  the 
preparation  of  a  degree  for  the  wives,  daughters,  and  sisters  of 
brothers  who  had  attained  the  Chief's  Degree.  The  time  for 
such  action  had  not  yet  arrived,  however,  and  the  Great  Council 
again  voted  that  it  was  inexpedient  to  legislate. 

The  attention  of  the  Great  Council  was  called  to  the  epidemic 
of  yellow  fever  then  prevailing  in  some  of  the  Southern  States, 
and  a  contribution  was  made  by  each  Representative  present,  and 
it  was  also  voted  that  an  appeal  be  issued  to  the  Order  request- 
ing a  liberal  contribution  for  the  benefit  of  sufferers  from  the 
epidemic,  said  sums  to  be  forwarded  as  directed  by  the  Great 
Incohonee. 

The  Great  Council  again  adopted  a  resolution  that  it  was 
inexpedient  to  adopt  a  dress  uniform  for  funerals,  parades,  balls, 
etc. 

The  recommendation  of  the  Great  Incohonee,  in  relation  to 
arranging  for  visits  to  isolated  Tribes,  bore  fruit  in  the  adoption 
of  a  resolution  appropriating  200  fathoms  to  be  used  for  the 
contingent  expenses  of  the  Great  Incohonee,  and  for  the  expense 
of  qualified  chiefs  that  may  be  appointed  by  him  to  visit, 
instruct,  and  encourage  such  Tribes.  By  this  action  was  begun 
a  custom  which  has  continued  with  marked  benefit  down  to  the 
present  time,  and  which  doubtless  resulted  eventually  in  turning 
the  tide  of  adversity  into  the  prosperity  that  afterwards  came  to 
the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

Various  changes  were  made  in  the  Beneficiary  Law  tending 
to  perfect  it,  and  make  it  more  attractive  to  members  of  the 
Order. 

A  Committee  on  Revision  of  the  Ritual  was  appointed,  thus 
attempting  to  again  open  a  question  which  had  received  its 
quietus  for  several  great  suns. 

It  was  voted  that  the  next  great  sun  council  be  held  in  the 
hunting  grounds  of  New  York,  N.Y, 


MORRIS   H.  GORHAM. 


CHARLES   H.   LITCHMAN. 


GEORGE   B.  COLFLESH. 


WILLIAM    H.    HYRONEMUS. 


PAST   GREAT   INCOHONEES. 


GREAT   COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.  369 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the  en- 
suing great  sun  were  as  follows  :  — 

Great  Incohonee,  MORRIS  H.  GORHAM,  Pennsylvania. 

Great  Senior  Sagamore,  CHARLES  H.  LITCHMAN,  Massachusetts. 

Great  Junior  Sagamore,  GEORGE  B.  COLFLESH,  Maryland. 

Great  Prophet,  HUGH  LATHAM,  Virginia. 

Great  Chief  of  Records,  JOSHUA  MARIS,  Delaware. 

Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  JOSEPH  PYLE,  Delaware. 

Great  Tocakon,  WILLIAM  H.  HYRONEMUS,  Tennessee. 

Great  Minewa,  JOHN  W.  LINCK,  Indiana. 

1879. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  in  the  hunting 
grounds  of  New  York,  N.Y.,  on  the  9th  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
388,  Great  Incohonee  Morris  H.  Gorham  presiding. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  that  credentials  had 
been  received  from  24  States  and  the  District  of  Columbia. 
Among  the  Representatives  admitted  for  the  first  time  at  this 
council  were  Ralph  S.  Gregory,  of  Indiana,  afterwards  Great 
Incohonee  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  and  Andrew  H.  Paton,  the 
present  Great  Senior  Sagamore  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  longtalk  submitted  by.  the  Great  Incohonee  was  an 
admirable  document,  replete  with  interesting  matter,  much  of 
which  was  of  great  value  as  indicating  the  scheme  followed  in 
establishing  the  ritual  and  laws  of  the  Order. 

He  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  Great  Council  the  death 
of  Past  Great  Incohonee  Paxon  Coats  of  Ohio. 

He  reported  his  action  concerning  the  institution  of  Tribes 
in  Georgia  and  Florida  and  the  reorganization  of  Osceola  Tribe, 
No.  7,  at  Shreveport,  La. 

He  also  reported  the  introduction  of  the  Order  into  the  reser- 
vation of  Colorado  by  the  institution  of  Rising  Bow  Tribe,  No.  I, 
at  Central  City. 

Among  the  recommendations  made  by  him  was  one  in  relation 
to  the  establishment  of  a  fund  for  aged  and  indigent  members, 
and  another  in  favor  of  a  universal  password. 

He  deprecated  the  propositions  for  amending  the  ritual,  and 
the  abuse  of  candidates  in  the  degree  work.  He  endorsed  the 
propositions  to  work  in  the  Chief's  Degree,  and  to  drop  the  pre- 
fix "  Improved  "  from  the  title  of  the  Order, 


370  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  &ED  MEN. 

The  longtalk  of  Great  Incohonee  Gorham  is  of  peculiar  inter- 
est even  at  the  present  date.  In  a  comparatively  short  time 
after  his  services  as  Great  Incohonee,  the  brother  was  suddenly 
called  to  the  hunting  grounds  above ;  but  the  imprint  that  his 
zeal  and  love  for  the  Order  left  upon  its  legislation  and  ritual- 
istic work  cannot  easily  be  effaced,  and  will  remain  as  long  as 
the  members  of  the  Order  preserve  the  ancient  landmarks. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  submitted  his  longtalk  for  the 
preceding  great  sun.  Among  other  things  he  stated  that  he  had 
carried  out  the  will  of  the  Great  Council  in  communicating  with 
the  Gross  Stamm  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Red  Men  at  its 
annual  session  at  Trenton,  N.J.,  and  received  a  reply  that  the 
body  had  adjourned  before  the  proposition  had  been  received, 
and  consequently  no  action  had  been  taken  thereon. 

He  submitted  a  list  of  the  members  of  the  Order  that  had 
attached  themselves  to  the  Beneficiary  Association,  and  gave  a 
detailed  statement  of  the  operations  of  that  adjunct  to  the  Order 
during  the  preceding  great  sun. 

From  the  statistical  abstract  of  the  Great  Chief  of  Records 
we  glean  the  following  information  :  Great  Councils,  20 ;  res- 
ervations having  no  Great  Council,  12;  adopted,  3017;  rein- 
stated, 482  ;  admitted  by  card,  157;  expelled,  69;  withdrawn  by 
card,  210;  died,  84;  suspended,  5263;  number  of  members, 
28,075  ;  Past  Great  Sachems,  176;  Past  Sachems,  5035  ;  Tribes 
instituted,  8  ;  Tribes  reorganized,  7  ;  Tribes  extinct,  37 ;  total 
number  of  Tribes,  505  ;  amount  expended  for  relief  of  brothers, 
79,811  fathoms  and  76  inches;  expended  for  relief  of  widows 
and  orphans,  2761  fathoms  and  39  inches  ;  burial  of  the  dead, 
15,811  fathoms  and  74  inches;  expended  for  education,  152 
fathoms  and  10  inches ;  other  Tribal  disbursements,  105,840 
fathoms  and  55  inches  ;  total  receipts  of  Tribes,  234,049  fathoms 
and  66  inches ;  invested  by  Tribes,  75,228  fathoms  and  97 
inches  ;  in  Tribal  wampum  belts,  59,63 1  fathoms  and  46  inches. 

In  the  longtalk  of  the  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum  a  report  was 
made  of  the  amount  contributed  for  the  Yellow  Fever  Fund, 
giving  in  detail  the  names  of  each  individual  subscriber,  and  of 
each  Tribe  in  the  United  States  that  made  a  contribution.  The 
total  amount  raised  was  841  fathoms  and  28  inches.  Fortunately 
very  few  among  those  afflicted  were  members  of  the  Order,  and 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.          371 

consequently  the  demand  upon  the  Fund  was  limited  to  61 
fathoms  and  54  inches,  leaving  a  balance  of  779  fathoms  and  74 
inches.  This  balance  was  placed  in  the  wampum  belt  of  the 
G.  C.  U.  S.,  as  a  relief  fund  to  be  drawn  upon  by  the  chiefs  of 
the  Great  Council  whenever  in  their  judgment  a  meritorious 
case  for  relief  is  presented. 

An  elaborate  plan  was  submitted  by  a  Representative  from 
Maryland,  providing  for  two  classes  of  membership  in  the  Im- 
proved Order  of  Red  Men  to  be  styled  "Active"  and  "Non- 
active."  The  matter  was  referred  to  a  committee,  but  the  Great 
Council  declined  to  enter  upon  the  radical  changes  necessary  to 
carry  out  the  objects  proposed. 

The  Great  Council  again  refused  to  adopt  the  proposed  change 
by  which  the  business  of  the  Tribes  should  be  done  in  the 
Chiefs  Degree. 

In  like  manner,  the  wise  suggestion  of  the  Great  Incohonee, 
in  relation  to  the  establishment  of  a  fund  for  aged  and  infirm 
members,  received  an  adverse  report  from  the  Committee  on 
the  State  of  the  Order,  which  report  was  adopted  by  the  Great 
Council. 

Charters  were  granted  to  the  Tribes  for  which  dispensations 
had  been  ordered  during  the  interim. 

It  was  voted  that  the  next  great  sun  council  be  held  in  the 
hunting  grounds  of  Boston,  Mass. 

One  of  the  most  pleasing  features  of  this  council  was"  a  fra- 
ternal visit  made  to  it  by  David  B.  Woodruff,  Supreme  Chan- 
cellor of  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  He  was  welcomed  to  the 
fraternal  greetings  of  the  Great  Council  by  Great  Prophet  Hugh 
Latham  of  Virginia,  and  to  the  fraternal  words  of  greeting  thus 
extended  to  him  the  visitor  responded  in  a  very  felicitous 
manner. 

The  agitation  of  several  great  suns,  for  the  adoption  of  a 
universal  password,  finally  was  rewarded  with  success  at  this 
council  by  the  adoption  of  the  proposed  amendment. 

The  Great  Council  endorsed  a  proposition  permitting  in 
States  or  Territories  where  no  Great  Council  existed,  by  and 
with  the  consent  of  the  Great  Incohonee,  Tribes  to  attach 
themselves  to  the  nearest  Great  Council  until  such  time  as  said 
States  and  Territories  contain  sufficient  Tribes  to  form  a  Great 


I 

372  IMPROVED    ORDER   OF  RED  MEN. 

Council.     While  said  Tribes  are  thus  attached,  they  shall  be 
subject  to  the  laws  and  regulations  of  such  Great  Council. 

Appropriate  resolutions  in  memory  of  Past  Great  Incohonee 
Paxon  Coats  were  adopted.  Similar  resolutions  were  also 
adopted  in  relation  to  other  Great  Chiefs  and  Representatives 
whose  departure  had  been  reported  to  the  Great  Council. 

1880. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Boston, 
Mass.,  on  the  I4th  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  389,  Great  Inco- 
.honee  Morris  H.  Gorham  presiding. 

The  Great  Council  was  welcomed  to  the  State  and  City  in  an 
eloquent  talk  by  Great  Sachem  Nicholas  Pitman,  and  a  fitting 
response  was  made  by  Great  Incohonee  Gorham. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  that  credentials  had 
been  received  from  19  Great  Councils  and  seven  reservations  in 
which  no  Great  Council  existed. 

The  longtalk  of  the  Great  Incohonee,  like  that  of  the  pre- 
ceding great  sun,  was  full  of  valuable  information  and  impor- 
tant suggestions.  He  gave  in  detail  his  official  acts  during  the 
great  sun,  such  as  the  appointment  of  Vice  Great  Incohonees, 
official  promulgation  of  the  universal  password,  the  decisions 
made  during  the  great  sun,  and  other  routine  work.  He  rec- 
ommended that  the  Great  Council  reserve  to  itself  the  exclusive 
right  to  print  and  supply  the  several  reservations  with  certified 
receipts  to  be  used  in  connection  with  the  universal  password. 
He  also  renewed  his  recommendation  that  the  business  of  the 
Tribes  be  transacted  in  the  Chief's  Degree,  and  also  that  a  fund 
be  provided  for  aged  and  infirm  members. 

He  reported  the  institution  of  the  Great  Council  of  Georgia 
at  Atlanta  on  the  6th  of  Hunting  moon,  G.  S.  D.  388  (Decem- 
ber 6,  1879). 

He  also  reported  that  dispensations  had  been  issued  for  two 
additional  Tribes  in  Colorado,  and  one  each  in  Texas  and 
Florida.  Also  the  introduction  of  the  Order  into  Arizona 
Territory  by  the  institution  of  Maricopa  Tribe,  No.  I,  to  be 
located  at  Phoenix,  Maricopa  County,  Arizona. 

In  announcing  the  death  of  Past  Great  Incohonee  George  A. 


GREAT   COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.          373 

Peter,  of  Ohio,  he  gave  some  intensely  interesting  information 
of  the  manner  in  which  the  Order  was  introduced  into  Mary- 
land, and  showed  the  connecting  link  between  the  society  of 
Red  Men  that  existed  in  Pennsylvania,  and  the  organizations  in 
Maryland,  out  of  which  came  the  present  Improved  Order  of 
Red  Men. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  submitted  his  longtalk  which 
as  usual  covered  a  detailed  statement  of  his  work  during  the 
great  sun,  and  the  measures  taken  by  him  to  carry  out  the 
various  resolutions  of  instruction  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  A  new 
system  of  accounts  recommended  by  the  Committee  on  Finance 
at  the  previous  great  sun  council  had  been  adopted,  and  the 
report  as  rendered  by  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  was  clear  and 
explicit,  covering  every  item  of  receipt  and  expenditure. 

From  the  statistical  abstract  presented  by  the  Great  Chief  of 
Records,  we  obtain  the  following  information  :  Great  Councils, 
21  ;  reservations  without  a  Great  Council,  12;  Tribes  instituted, 
18;  Tribes  reorganized,  2;  Tribes  extinct,  30;  total  number 
of  Tribes  in  existence,  491;  adopted,  3679;  reinstated,  477; 
admitted  by  card,  273;  suspended,  4139;  expelled,  72;  with- 
drawn by  card,  347;  died,  282;  number  of  members,  27,214; 
Past  Great  Sachems,  168 ;  Past  Sachems,  5250;  amount  ex- 
pended for  relief  of  brothers,  71,237  fathoms  and  84  inches; 
expended  for  relief  of  widows  and  orphans,  8694  fathoms  and 
67  inches  ;  expended  for  burial  of  the  dead,  18,072  fathoms  and 
64  inches;  expended  for  education  of  orphans,  255  fathoms 
and  22  inches;  expended  for  other  Tribal  purposes,  102,481 
fathoms  and  85  inches  ;  total  receipts  of  Tribes,  244,276  fathoms 
and  22  inches;  invested  by  Tribes,  117,511  fathoms  and  16 
inches;  in  Tribal  wampum  belts,  69,142  fathoms  and  2  inches.  ' 

The  number  of  members  reported  by  the  Great  Chief  of 
Records  was  the  smallest  since  the  decrease  began  in  G.  S.  D. 
383.  This  period  may  be  termed  the  "low  tide"  in  the  affairs 
of  .the  Order.  From  this  time  the  tide  turned,  and  wise, 
prudent,  and  economical  legislation  began  to  have  its  effect  both 
in  the  financial  affairs  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  and  in  the  discipline 
and  energy  among  the  members  at  large. 

Radical  changes  were  made  in  the  laws  of  the  Great  Council, 
by  which  the  number  of  Representatives  was  largely  decreased, 


374  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

and  by  which  representation  was  restricted  entirely  to  Great 
Councils. 

The  proposition  to  create  a  fund  for  aged  and  infirm  members 
of  the  Order  was  approved  by  the  Committee  on  the  State  of 
the  Order,  but  in  the  opinion  of  the  committee  it  was  a  matter 
for  local  legislation.  The  subject  was  finally  referred  to  a 
special  committee  to  report  at  the  next  great  sun  council. 

A  special  committee  on  the  subject  submitted  resolutions  of 
respect  to  the  memory  of  Past  Great  Incohonee  George  A. 
Peter,  of  Ohio. 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the  ensu- 
ing great  sun  were  as  follows  :  — 

Great  Incohonee,  CHARLES  H.  LITCHMAN,  Massachusetts. 

Great  Senior  Sagamore,  GEORGE  B.  COLFLESH,  Maryland. 

Great  Junior  Sagamore,  WILLIAM  H.  HYRONEMUS,  Tennessee. 

Great  Prophet,  HUGH  LATHAM,  Virginia. 

Great  Chief  of  Records,  JOSHUA  MARIS,  Delaware. 

Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  JOSEPH  PYLE,  Delaware. 

Great  Tocakon,  JOSEPH  W.  CLYMER,  Pennsylvania. 

Great  Minewa,  RALPH  S.  GREGORY,  Indiana. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark  at  this  time  that  the  brother  elected 
at  this  council  to  the  important  position  of  Great  Incohonee 
was  the  first  in  the  history  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  to  pass  succes- 
sively through  the  chieftaincies  of  Great  Junior  Sagamore, 
Great  Senior  Sagamore,  and  Great  Incohonee.  Other  chiefs 
were  elected  as  Great  Incohonee  who  had  at  times  filled  both 
of  the  other  chieftaincies,  but  Great  Incohonee  Litchman  was 
the  first  to  pass  successively  from  one  to  the  other.  The  cus- 
tom thus  adopted  has  been  continued  down  to  the  present  time. 
Whatever  contest  is  good-naturedly  made,  occurs  in  a  kind  and 
fraternal  spirit  over  the  election  to  the  chieftaincy  of  Great 
Junior  Sagamore.  It  is  assumed,  and  perhaps  rightly,  that  the 
brother  elected  for  that  chieftaincy  is  qualified  to  advance  step 
by  step,  until  crowned  with  the  highest  honors  in  the  power  of 
the  G.  C.  U.  S.  to  bestow. 

It  is  also  worthy  of  remark  that  the  Great  Council  unani- 
mously re-elected  as  Great  Prophet  Past  Great  Incohonee  Hugh 
Latham,  of  Virginia.  For  three  great  suns  preceding  this 
council,  Brother  Latham  had  been  able  to  attend  the  G.  C. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.          375 

U.  S.  only  by  the  exercise  of  an  indomitable  will  that  arose  su- 
perior to  bodily  infirmities.  It  is  within  the  truth  to  say  that 
his  determination  to  be  present  at  the  council  at  Boston  les- 
sened even  the  few  suns  that  he  might  have  been  expected  to 
live.  No  influence  was  sufficient  to  prevail  upon  him  to  remain 
at  home,  and  how  great  the  sacrifice  made  was  hardly  realized 
until,  in  but  a  little  more  than  one  moon,  the  sad  tidings  was 
communicated  to  the  Order  that  the  Great  Spirit  had  called 
him  home. 

[The  editor  of  this  history  may  be  pardoned  this  digression, 
for  the  relations  between  him  and  Past  Great  Incohonee  La- 
tham were  those  of  intimate  personal  friendship,  and  nearer 
that  of  father  and  son  than  even  brothers  in  our  grand  fraternity. 
He  was  placed  in  nomination  for  each  successive  chieftaincy  by 
Past  Great  Incohonee  Latham,  and  when  the  brother  arose  at 
the  council  in  Boston  "  to  complete,"  as  he  said,  "  the  work 
commenced  at  Philadelphia  in  1876  when  he  first  placed  in 
nomination  '  the  little  chick  from  Massachusetts,'  "  his  feeble- 
ness of  body,  which  was  manifest,  and  the  shadow  which  all 
felt  was  even  then  upon  him,  added  a  solemnity  to  the  occasion 
which  will  never  be  forgotten  by  those  present.] 

The  Great  Senior  Sagamore,  on  behalf  of  the  Committee  on 
Entertainment  of  Massachusetts,  stated  that  the  arrangements 
for  the  entertainment  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States  had  been  frustrated,  and  that  he  was  authorized  to  pre- 
sent to  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  the  fund  of  100  fathoms  contributed  for 
that  purpose  by  the  Great  Councils  of  Massachusetts  and 
Rhode  Island,  and  the  donation  was  accepted  with  the  thanks 
of  the  Great  Council. 

While  the  Great  Council  was  assembled,  a  sad  event  occurred, 
being  the  sudden  death  of  the  wife  of  Great  Incohonee  Gorham, 
and  resolutions  were  adopted  expressing  the  sympathy  of  the 
Great  Council  with  the  bereaved  great  chief. 

Amendments  were  made  in  the  Beneficiary  Law  to  strengthen 
it,  and  make  it  further  applicable  to  the  needs  and  wishes  of 
those  whose  membership  was  solicited. 

It  was  voted  that  the  next  great  sun  council  be  held  in  the 
hunting  grounds  of  Annapolis,  Md. 

With  this  record  of  the  year   1880,  ends  the  first  section  of 


376 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 


the  History  of  the  Order  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States.  While  the  membership  had  run 
down  from  40,504  to  27,214,  prudent  legislation  and  wise  econ- 
omy in  the  management  of  the  finances  of  the  Order  had  laid 
the  foundation  for  the  gratifying  success  hereafter  to  be  re- 
corded. The  members  who  participated  in  the  deliberations  of 
the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  during  the  period  to 
-which  we  refer,  will  remember  the  anxiety  felt  at  that  time,  and 
the  great  pleasure  with  which  was  hailed  the  change  for  the 
better,  that  began  immediately  at  the  quenching  of  the  council 
fire  of  1880. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

THE  GREAT  COUNCIL  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  (1881-1892). 

THE  fluctuating  fortunes  of  the  Order  have  been  shown  by 
the  facts  thus  far  given,  and  it  is  very  gratifying  to  here  record 
the  turning-point  in  the  downward  trail  of  the  Order,  and  the 
beginning  of  that  era  of  prosperity  which  has  continued  until, 
at  the  time  these  lines  are  written,  the  membership  numbers 
nearly  five  times  that  of  the  Order  at  the  quenching  of  the 
council  fire  in  1880. 

We  have  alluded  to  the  causes  which  led  to  the  decline. 
Crippled  by  a  depleted  treasury,  the  great  chiefs  of  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States  were  powerless  to  increase  the 
Order,  or  even  to  maintain  it.  Now,  by  rigid  economy,  wam- 
pum began,  slowly  but  surely,  to  accumulate,  and  wisely  ex- 
pended started  the  impetus  which  continues  as  yet  unchecked. 

From  1875  to  1880,  the  membership  of  the  Order  steadily 
decreased.  For  the  first  time  in  seven  great  suns,  the  reports 
for  1 88 1  showed  a  gain,  and  from  that  time  to  1893  the  per- 
centage of  increase  in  Tribes,  Great  Councils,  and  members  has 
been  wonderful.  New  State  Great  Councils  have  been  formed, 
the  older  Great  Councils  have  worked  with  renewed  vigor, 
and,  where  feeble  and  struggling  on  the  border  of  complete 
dissolution,  have  become  among  the  strongest  reservations  of 
the  Order.  In  all  New  England,  at  the  council  of  1880,  there 
were  but  495  members.  At  the  present  writing  there  are  not 
far  from  24,000  members  in  the  New  England  Tribes. 

Among  other  reservations  which  showed  a  phenomenal 
growth,  during  the  period  now  to  be  considered,  may  be 
mentioned  Indiana,  Illinois,  New  Jersey,  New  York,  Ohio, 
Georgia,  and  Pennsylvania. 

With  this  increase  in  members  came  also  a  marked  improve- 
ment in  the  standing  and  influence  of  the  Order  in  the 

377 


378  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

respective  localities  where  its  branches  were  established. 
From  being  comparatively  obscure  and  unknown,  the  Order 
advanced  to  the  front  rank  among  similar  fraternal  organiza- 
tions, and  not  infrequently  passed  them  in  some  reservations, 
in  the  rivalry  for  public  favor  and  support. 

With  the  increase  in  Tribes  and  membership  came  an 
increase  in  the  income  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States,  and  means  were  supplied  for  the  propagation  of  the 
Order,  thus  extending  it  into  new  hunting  grounds  and  insuring 
its  stability  everywhere. 

The  continued  extracts  from  the  records  of  the  Great  Council 
of  the  United  States,  which  follow,  indicate  how  this  pleasant 
result  was  achieved. 

1881. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  in  the  Hall  of 
the  House  of  Delegates  at  the  State  House,  Annapolis,  Md.,  on 
the  1 3th  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  390,  Great  Incohonee  Charles 
H.  Litchman  presiding.  After  the  formal  kindling  of  the 
council  fire  a  recess  was  taken,  until  the  setting  of  the  sun,  in 
order  to  take  part  in  the  exercises  which  had  been  arranged  by 
the  Committee  on  Reception  representing  the  Great  Council  of 
Maryland  and  Chesapeake  Tribe,  No.  32,  of  Annapolis.  These 
exercises  consisted  of  prayer  by  the  Rev.  William  S.  South- 
gate  ;  addresses  of  welcome  by  the  Hon.  James  T.  Bris- 
coe,  Secretary  of  State,  Hon.  Thomas  E.  Martin,  Mayor, 
and  Brother  William  T.  Iglehart ;  a  "Welcome  Ode";  music 
by  the  Naval  Academy  Band ;  a  poem  by  Past  Great  Sachem 
William  Louis  Schley,  and  a  benediction.  The  ceremonies 
were  in  the  State  House  grounds,  and  were  attended  by  a  large 
number  of  the  citizens  of  Annapolis.  The  Great  Incohonee 
responded  for  the  Great  Council. 

On  again  assembling  in  council,  the  Committee  on  Cre- 
dentials submitted  its  report,  from  which  it  was  learned  that 
credentials  had  been  received  from  ten  Great  Councils.  Repre- 
sentatives from  other  Great  Councils  held  over  from  the 
preceding  great  sun  council. 

The  longtalk  of  the  Great  Incohonee  was  presented.  He 
referred  to  the  turn  in  the  tide  in  the  history  of  the  Order ; 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED   STATES.  379 

gave  a  record  of  his  decisions  during  the  great  sun ;  and 
recommended  the  liberal  use  of  documents  for  propagating  the 
Order,  and  the  appointment  of  a  special  committee  to  gather 
and  compile  material  for  a  full  and  complete  history  of  the 
Order. 

He  suggested  that  the  minimum  age  for  the  admission  of  a 
paleface  might  be  reduced  without  detriment  to  the  Order. 

He  reported  the  institution  of  the  Great  Council  of  New 
Hampshire  at  Manchester  on  the  I3th  of  Plant  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
390  (April  13,  1881). 

He  spoke  of  the  limited  number  of  visits  he  had  been  able 
to  make,  even  in  response  to  urgent  invitations  from  distant 
Tribes,  and  urged  that  if  provision  to  meet  the  expense  of  such 
visitations  could  be  made,  the  result  would  be  for  the  benefit  of 
the  Order. 

He  spoke  a  kind  word  for  the  Beneficiary  Plan,  and  urged 
the  Representatives  present  to  lend  it  their  support  and  encour- 
agement. 

He  renewed  a  recommendation  of  his  predecessor,  that  the 
name  of  the  Order  be  amended  by  dropping  the  word  "  Im- 
proved." 

He  made  official  announcement  of  the  death  of  Past  Great 
Incohonee  and  Great  Prophet  Hugh  Latham,  of  Virginia. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  submitted  his  longtalk,  giving 
a  detailed  account  of  the  routine  work  of  his  chieftaincy,  and 
a  statement  of  the  receipts  and  expenditures.  He  also  spoke 
of  the  limited  success  which  as  yet  ha'd  attended  the  Beneficiary 
Plan. 

As  a  matter  of  historical,  interest  he  contributed  the  fact,  that 
at  least  two  of  the  first  great  chiefs  of  this  body  were  yet 
living  and  in  good  standing  in  the  Order,  —  Brothers  Gorsuch 
and  Ford.  The  former  was  an  attendant  at  this  Council. 

From  the  statistical  abstract,  accompanying  the  report  of  the 
Great  Chief  of  Records,  we  glean  the  following  information  : 
Great  Councils,  22  ;  reservations  without  Great  Councils,  14 ; 
Tribes  instituted,  12  ;  Tribes  reorganized,  6;  Tribes  extinct,  37; 
total  number  of  Tribes  in  existence,  470 ;  adopted,  4390 ;  rein- 
stated, 461  ;  admitted  by  card,  254  ;  suspended,  3651  ;  expelled, 
53  ;  withdrawn  by  card,  203  ;  died,  295  ;  total  number  of  mem- 


380  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

bers,  28,366;  Past  Great  Sachems,  187;  Past  Sachems,  3535; 
amount  expended  for  relief  of  members,  67,802  fathoms  and  10 
inches  ;  expended  for  relief  of  widows  and  orphans,  6057  fathoms 
and  79  inches  ;  expended  for  burial  of  dead,  20,310  fathoms  and 
42  inches  ;  expended  for  education  of  orphans,  181  fathoms  and 
30  inches  ;  disbursed  for  other  purposes,  94,835  fathoms  and  36 
inches  ;  total  receipts  of  Tribes,  248,796  fathoms  and  57  inches  ; 
invested  by  Tribes,  1 26,936  fathoms  and  93  inches ;  in  Tribal 
wampum  belts,  38,432  fathoms  and  38  inches. 

Past  Great  Incohonee,  Adam  Smith,  of  California,  presented 
to  the  council  sundry  Indian  relics  which  were  accepted  and 
placed  in  the  archives  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  improved  financial  condition  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  at  this 
time,  as  indicated  by  a  resolution  submitted  by  the  Committee 
on  Finance,  and  adopted  by  the  Great  Council,  led  to  the  appro- 
priating of  600  fathoms,  instead  of  the  usual  appropriation  of 
loo  fathoms  to  be  added  to  the  Permanent  Fund  of  the  Order. 
The  Committee  also  adopted  the  suggestion  of  the  Great  Inco- 
honee by  appropriating  200  fathoms  for  the  contingent  expenses 
of  that  great  chief. 

A  favorable  report  was  made  by  the  Judiciary  Committee  in 
relation  to  striking  out  the  word  "  Improved  "  from  the  title  of 
the  Order,  but  the  amendment  of  the  laws  to  that  effect  was 
laid  over  for  one  great  sun. 

The  proposition  for  transacting  the  work  of  Tribes  in  the 
Chief's  degree  also  received  a  favorable  report  from  the  Com- 
mittee on  the  State  of  the  Order,  and  a  resolution  was  adopted 
asking  the  various  State  Great  Councils  to  express  an  opinion 
as  to  the  advisability  of  the  proposed  change. 

The  Great  Council  again  refused  to  adopt  any  other  uniform 
than  the  regalia  then  used. 

The  Special  Committee  on  the  subject  reported  favorably 
upon  the  idea  of  establishing  a  fund  for  aged  and  infirm  mem- 
bers, and  requested  to  be  continued  for  one  great  sun  for  final 
report.  The  report  of  the  Committee  was  adopted. 

Elaborate  resolutions  of  thanks  were  adopted  as  an  expression 
of  the  gratitude  of  the  Great  Council  for  the  hospitality  with 
which  the  members  thereof  had  been  entertained  by  the  Red 
Men  of  Annapolis. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED   STATES.  381 

Arrangements  were  made  for  issuing  a  charter  to  the  Great 
Council  of  Louisiana. 

Appropriate  resolutions  were  adopted  concerning  the  death 
of  Past  Great  Incohonee  and  Great  Prophet  Hugh  Latham,  of 
Virginia. 

The  Special  Committee  on  the  subject  was  authorized  to 
continue  during  the  great  sun  recess  and  prepare  a  circular 
descriptive  of  the  Order  for  use  among  palefaces  ;  and  to  collect 
material  for  a  history  of  the  Order. 

Easton,  Pa.,  was  selected  as  the  place  for  kindling  the  next 
great  sun  council  fire. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Morris  H.  Gorham,  of  Pennsylvania, 
was  unanimously  elected  Great  Prophet  to  fill  the  vacancy 
caused  by  the  death  of  Past  Great  Incohonee  Hugh  Latham,  of 
Virginia. 

The  Committee  appointed  at  the  preceding  great  sun  coun- 
cil to  consider  the  question  of  a  new  ritual  for  Degree  Councils, 
was  at  its  request  continued  for  another  great  sun. 

1882. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Easton, 
Pa.,  on  the  I2th  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  391,  Great  Incohonee 
Charles  H.  Litchman  presiding. 

Previous  to  the  formal  kindling  of  the  council  fire,  an  address 
of  welcome  was  delivered  by  Past  Sachem  Thomas  D.  Tanner 
on  behalf  of  the  two  Tribes  of  that  city,  to  which  an  appropriate 
response  was  made  by  Great  Incohonee  Litchman. 

After  the  kindling  of  the  council  fire,  the  Committee  on  Cre- 
dentials reported  that  credentials  had  been  received  from  17 
reservations. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk,  which  stated 
that  during  the  year  he  had  made  an  extensive  journey  across 
the  Continent,  visiting  the  Order,  and  being  royally  received  in 
thirteen  great  reservations. 

He  recommended  that  the  first  Great  Prophet  of  State  Great 
Councils  be  made  a  Past  Great  Sachem  by  dispensation  at  the 
end  of  the  term  ;  that  the  word  "  Improved  "  be  stricken  from 
the  title  of  the  Order;  that  the  charter  fee  of  Tribes  be  in- 
creased ;  and  that  the  Prophets  of  Tribes  be  elected  from  Past 
Sachems, 


382  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

He  reported  the  institution  again,  of  the  Great  Council  of 
Louisiana,  and  the  probability  that  a  Great  Council  would  soon 
be  instituted  in  each  of  the  States  of  Colorado  and  Florida. 
On  the  'other  hand,  the  Great  Council  of  Rhode  Island  was  re- 
ported to  be  in  a  feeble  condition. 

One  dispensation  granted  by  him,  by  which  Squantum  Tribe, 
No.  i,  of  Biddeford,  Me.,  was  attached  to  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Great  Council  of  New  Hampshire,  was  the  first  consolidation  of 
this  kind  in  the  history  of  the  Order,  and  was  in  accordance 
with  a  vote  adopted  by  the  Great  Council  but  a  few  great  suns 
before.  The  precedent  thus  established  has  been  subsequently 
followed  in  other  reservations  with  marked  benefit  to  the  iso- 
lated Tribes  thus  attached. 

He  spoke  of  the  probabilities  of  revival  of  the  Order  in  Ne- 
braska, Connecticut,  and  Utah. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  submitted  his  longtalk,  reporting 
that  there  had  been  a  larger  increase  than  reported  at  the  last 
great  sun  council,  and  that  the  tide  of  prosperity  seemed  to 
have  set  in. 

From  the  statistical  abstract,  accompanying  the  report  of  the 
Great  Chief  of  Records,  we  glean  the  following  information  : 
Great  Councils,  22;  Reservations  without  a  Great  Council,  12; 
total  number  of  Tribes,  465;  adopted,  4148;  reinstated,  444; 
admitted  by  card,  99 ;  suspended,  2604 ;  expelled,  47 ;  with- 
drawn by  card,  173;  died,  276;  total  number  of  members, 
29,965  ;  Past  Great  Sachems,  178  ;  Past  Sachems,  5620  ;  amount 
expended  for  relief  of  members,  81,200  fathoms  and  22  inches  ; 
expended  for  relief  of  widows  and  orphans,  16,654  fathoms  and 
43  inches  ;  expended  for  education,  132  fathoms  and  76  inches; 
expended  for  other  purposes,  99,248  fathoms  and  68  inches ; 
total  Tribal  receipts,  270,551  fathoms  and  43  inches;  invested 
by  Tribes,  148,760  fathoms  and  73  inches ;  in  Tribal  wampum 
belts,  45,920  fathoms  and  55  inches. 

He  reported  quite  a  handsome  increase  in  the  membership  of 
the  Beneficiary  Association,  there  having  been  an  addition  of  241 
to  its  list,  the  membership  at  the  time  of  the  report  being  473. 

The  Special  Committee  on  the  subject  of  establishing  a  fund 
for  aged  and  infirm  members  submitted  a  report,  which,  at  the 
request  of  the  Committee,  was  laid  over  until  the  succeeding 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.          383 

great  sun  council.     It  was  then  taken  up,  and  the  substance  of 
it  incorporated  in  the  laws.     The  report  was  as  follows  :  — 

The  committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  matter  of  arranging  and  devising 
a  plan  for  a  continued  membership  by  brothers  over  the  age  of  fifty  great 
suns,  whose  Tribes  shall  become  extinct,  and  for  the  creation  of  a  charitable 
fund  for  the  sole  use  and  benefit  of  such  aged  brothers,  have  had  the  same 
under  consideration  and  beg  leave  to  report  the  following : 

That  any  Tribe  which  shall  hereafter  become  extinct  for  any  cause  what- 
ever, containing  within  its  membership  at  the  time  of  its  extinction  a  member 
or  members  in  good  standing  and  severally  entitled  to  a  withdrawal  card 
therefrom,  according  to  the  laws  of  the  Order,  and  who  shall,  within  the  three 
moons  next  after  the  extinction  of  such  Tribe,  make  application  for  and 
receive  such  withdrawal  card,  shall,  within  the  three  moons  next  after  the 
procurement  of  such  withdrawal  card,  make  application  for  membership,  accord- 
ing to  the  law  of  the  Order,  to  the  proper  Tribe,  and  in  case  such  application 
to  such  Tribe  shall  be  refused  on  account  of  age  or  infirmity  of  such  appli- 
cant, then,  and  in  that  case,  said  Tribe  shall  receive  such  brother,  if  other- 
wise worthy,  under  the  regulations  hereafter  provided. 

If  such  brother,  upon  his  application  to  such  Tribe,  shall  be  rejected  on 
account  of  his  age  and  infirmity  as  aforesaid,  and  shall  otherwise  be  found 
worthy  and  accepted  by  such  Tribe,  he  shall  then  and  thereafter  be  and  be- 
come a  member  of  said  Tribe,  subject  to  all  the  rights  and  privileges  thereof, 
except  said  Tribe  shall  not  be  liable  to  such  brother  for  benefits  when  unable 
to  follow  the  hunt,  and  funeral  expenses  and  donations  and  provisions  made 
for  the  members  of  such  Tribe  other  than  such  brother.  Such  brother  upon 
being  so  received  into  such  Tribe  shall  pay  to  the  Keeper  of  Wampum  of  such 
Tribe,  and  shall  regularly  thereafter,  pay  his  dues  as  other  members  are  re- 
quired to  do.  Such  Keeper  of  Wampum  shall  keep  all  such  dues  and  fees  so 
paid  by  such  brother  as  a  separate  fund  to  be  expended  as  hereinafter  made 
and  provided. 

There  shall  be  assessed  and  collected  from  each  member  of  every  Tribe  at 
the  beginning  of  each  great  sun  two  inches,  which  sum,  together  with  the 
admission  fee  and  dues  of  such  brother  when  so  collected,  shall  be  remitted 
by  the  Keeper  of  Wampum  of  each  Tribe  to  the  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum 
of  the  jurisdiction  wherein  such  Tribe  is  located,  accompanying  which  shall 
be  a  report  stating  from  what  source  and  for  what  purpose  said  wampum  was 
collected.  The  wampum  so  collected  shall  be  held  by  the  Great  Keeper  of 
Wampum  as  a  special  fund  for  the  relief  of  such  brother.  Such  brother  shall 
receive  benefits  and  assistance  from  said  funds  when  unable  to  follow  the 
hunt,  according  to  the  law  in  force  on  that  subject  in  the  jurisdiction  wherein 
his  Tribe  is  located.  But  such  brother  shall  not  receive  such  assistance  ex- 
cept upon  the  application  in  his  behalf,  of  the  Keeper  of  Wampum  and  the 
recommendation  of  his  Tribe,  under  the  seal  of  such  Tribe,  to  the  Great 
Keeper  of  Wampum.  The  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  upon  such  applica- 
tion, shall  send  the  wampum  so  to  be  paid  said  brother  to  the  Keeper  of 


384  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Wampum  of  his  Tribe,  who  will  pay  the  same  to  such  brother  and  take  his 
receipt  therefor. 

Such  Keeper  of  Wampum  shall,  as  to  said  fund,  keep  an  account  with  each 
Tribe  wherein  shall  appear  the  names  of  all  such  brothers  and  report  the 
same  to  the  State  Great  Council  and  to  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States 
at  each  council  thereof. 

The  wampum  herein  provided  for  such  brothers  shall  at  all  times  be  gov- 
erned by  the  amount  in  the  wampum  belt,  but  shall  in  no  case  exceed  three 
fathoms  per  seven  suns,  and  each  of  the  several  Great  Councils  shall  deter- 
mine from  time  to  time  in  what  manner  said  fund  shall  be  paid  or  disposed 
of,  not  exceeding  three  fathoms  per  seven  suns  to  each  brother  as  herein 
provided. 

The  special  committee  to  prepare  a  circular  to  use  in  spread- 
ing the  Order  among  palefaces  made  a  report  which  was  adopted. 
The  circular  briefly  set  forth  the  aims  and  objects  of  the  Order, 
and  gave  information  necessary  to  guide  palefaces  who  desired 
admission  to  Tribes,  or  who  wished  to  form  new  Tribes. 

A  new  applicant  for  favor,  in  the  shape  of  a  publication  in  the 
interest  of  the  Order,  having  made  its  appearance,  the  Great 
Council  adopted  the  following  ;  — 

Resolved,  That  this  Great  Council  recommends  to  the  favor- 
able consideration  of  the  Order  everywhere,  The  Wampum  Belt, 
issued  in  the  interests  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  by 
Brother  Charles  H.  Litchman,  of  Marblehead,  Mass. 

The  chiefs  elected  for  the  ensuing  great  sun  were  as  fol- 
lows :  — 

Great  Incohonee,  GEORGE  B.  COLFLESH,  P.  G.  S.,  Maryland. 

Great  Senior  Sagamore,  WM.  H.  HYRONEMOUS,  P.  G.  S.,  Tennessee. 

Great  Junior  Sagamore,  RALPH  S.  GREGORY,  P.  G.  S.,  Indiana. 

Great  Prophet,  ADAM  SMITH,  P.  G.  I.,  California. 

Great  Chief  of  Records,  JOSHUA  MARIS,  P.  G.  I.,  Delaware. 

Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  JOSEPH  PYLE,  P.  G.  I.,  Delaware. 

The  chiefs-elect  were  raised  up  to  their  respective  stumps, 
with  the  exception  of  the  Great  Incohonee,  who  was  detained  at 
home  by  the  illness  of  one  of  his  family. 

P.  G.  I.  Andrew  J.  Baker,  acting  temporarily  as  Great  Inco- 
honee, ruled  that  the  Great  Incohonee-elect,  not  having  been 
raised  to  his  stump,  could  not  exercise  the  powers  conferred  by 
the  laws  upon  a  Great  Incohonee,  and  that  therefore  the  ap- 
pointees by  him  for  Great  Tocakon  and  Great  Minewa,  could 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.          385 

not  be  raised  up ;  and  that  it  rested  with  the  Great  Senior 
Sagamore  to  fill  the  vacant  stump,  and  to  appoint  to  said 
chieftaincies. 

The  Great  Senior  Sagamore  declined,  under  the  circum- 
stances, to  make  the  appointments. 

It  was  then  voted  that  the  Great  Prophet,  the  Past  Great 
Incohonees  resident  in  Baltimore,  and  such  other  chiefs  as 
may  attend,  be  instructed  to  raise  up  the  Great  Incohonee-elect, 
and  the  chiefs  he  may  appoint,  at  a  special  council  to  be  con- 
vened at  some  suitable  time  and  place  in  Baltimore,  Md. 

This  duty  was  performed  on  the  23d  sun  of  Corn  moon,  at 
which  time  the  Great  Incohonee-elect  was  raised  up.  The  great 
chiefs  appointed  and  raised  up  at  the  same  time  were  William 
Louis  Schley,  P.  G.  S.,  of  Maryland,  Great  Tocakon,  and  Charles 
C.  Conley,  P.  G.  S.,  of  Pennsylvania,  Great  Minewa. 

The  Great  Council  selected  Atlantic  City,  N.J.,  as  the  place 
for  kindling  the  next  great  sun  council  fire. 

The  law  relative  to  the  fiscal  great  sun  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 
was  amended  so  as  to  make  the  great  sun  end  on  the  first  sun 
of  Buck  moon  instead  of  the  first  sun  of  Cold  moon. 

1883. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  in  the  Masonic 
Hall,  Atlantic  City,  N.J.,  on  the  nth  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
392,  Great  Incohonee  George  B.  Colflesh  presiding. 

An  address  of  welcome  on  behalf  of  the  Red  Men  of  New 
Jersey  was  delivered  by  Past  Great  Sachem  D.  C.  Vannote,  of 
New  Jersey,  to  which  a  fitting  response  was  made  by  the  Great 
Incohonee. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  that  credentials  had 
been  received  from  18  Great  Councils. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk,  in  which  he 
made  official  announcement  of  the  sudden  death  of  Past  Great 
Incohonee  Morris  H.  Gorham,  of  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

He  reported  6  new  Tribes  organized  under  the  immediate 
jurisdiction  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  in  the  States  of  Texas,  Kansas, 
North  Carolina,  and  Iowa.  The  remainder  of  the  report  covered 
the  routine  work  of  his  chieftaincy. 


386  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

The  longtalk  of  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  was  the  most 
satisfactory  which  had  been  received  for  many  great  suns. 

He  reported  a  substantial  increase  in  the  Beneficiary  Associa- 
tion, the  number  of  members  at  the  end  of  the  fiscal  sun  being 
874,  and  the  amount  paid  to  beneficiaries  of  deceased  members, 
3186  fathoms  and  53  inches. 

From  the  statistical  abstract  we  glean  the  following  informa- 
tion :  Number  of  Great  Councils,  23  ;  reservations  without  a 
Great  Council,  14;  total  number  of  Tribes,  462;  adopted,  9106; 
reinstated,  814;  admitted  by  card,  352;  suspended,  3404; 
expelled,  66 ;  withdrawn  by  card,  250 ;  died,  398  ;  total  number 
of  members,  35,217;  Past  Sachems,  5439;  Past  Great  Sachems, 
181 ;  amount  expended  for  relief  of  members,  112,380  fathoms 
and  82  inches ;  expended  for  relief  of  widows  and  orphans, 
9151  fathoms  and  63  inches;  expended  for  burial  of  the  dead, 
32,164  fathoms  and  22  inches;  expended  for  education  of 
orphans,  250  fathoms  and  25  inches  ;  expended  for  other  Tribal 
purposes,  1 59,068  fathoms  and  26  inches ;  total  receipts  of 
Tribes,  402,312  fathoms  and  40  inches;  amount  invested  by 
Tribes,  374,443  fathoms  and  46  inches ;  in  Tribal  wampum 
belts,  62,598  fathoms  and  67  inches. 

An  interesting  feature  of  this  council  was  the  presentation 
and  placing  upon  the  records  of  numerous  testimonials  of  affec- 
tion and  esteem  from  State  Great  Councils  in  memory  of  Past 
Great  Incohonee  Morris  H.  Gorham,  whose  sudden  death  had 
been  announced  by  the  Great  Incohonee. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  for  many  great  suns  the  question 
of  consolidating  the  outside  organizations  of  Red  Men  with  the 
Improved  Order  had  been  brought  up.  The  report  of  the 
Committee  on  the  State  of  the  Order  upon  this  subject  ex- 
plained the  situation,  as  it  then  existed,  fully,  and  favored  con- 
solidation under  certain  regulations.  The  report  was  adopted, 
the  Great  Council  thereby  placing  itself  on  record  as  willing  to 
welcome  them  all  to  membership,  allowing  them  individually 
to  hold  the  same  relative  honors  in  this  Order  they  had  earned 
in  the  others. 

The  members  of  the  Great  Council  were  the  recipients  ot 
unremitting  attention  on  the  part  of  the  brothers  of  New  Jersey, 
and  their  gratitude  found  expression  in  appropriate  resolutions. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OP  UNITED  STATES.          387 

A  special  committee  of  three  was  appointed  to  search  for  a 
proper  Indian  word  signifying  "brother,"  which  might  be  used 
by  the  Order. 

The  report  of  a  Committee  on  the  Revision  of  the  Constitu- 
tion and  Laws  of  the  Order  made  its  report,  which  was  consid- 
ered in  Committee  of  the  Whole,  and  after  being  considerably 
amended  the  further  consideration  was  postponed  until  the 
next  great  sun  council. 

The  special  committee  on  that  subject  presented  a  report 
upon  the  death  of  Past  Great  Incohonee  Morris  H.  Gorham, 
and  a  page  of  the  Record  of  this  Great  Council  was  dedicated 
to  his  memory. 

Springfield,  111.,  was  selected  as  the  place  for  kindling  the 
next  great  sun  council  fire. 

1884. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  in  the  Hall 
of  the  House  of  Representatives,  in  the  Capitol  Building  at 
Springfield,  111.,  on  the  Qth  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  393,  Great 
Incohonee  George  B.  Colflesh  presiding. 

Previous  to  the  kindling  of  the  council  fire,  an  eloquent  long- 
talk  was  delivered  by  Past  Great  Sachem  Owen  Scott,  of  Illi- 
nois, in  which  he  welcomed  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  to  the  hunting 
grounds  and  hearts  of  the  Red  Men  of  Illinois.  A  fitting  and 
appropriate  response  was  made  by  Past  Great  Incohonee  Chas. 
H.  Litchman,  who  spoke  for  the  Great  Council  in  the  absence  of 
the  Great  Incohonee  by  reason  of  temporary  illness. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  that  credentials  had 
been  received  from  18  Great  Councils,  besides  4  holding  over 
from  the  previous  great  sun  council.  Among  those  admitted 
for  the  first  time  at  this  council,  was  Past  Great  Sachem  Thomas 
E.  Peckinpaugh,  of  Ohio,  the  present  Great  Incohonee  of  the 
United  States. 

The  Great  Incohonee  presented  his  longtalk  for  the  previous 
great  sun.  He  gave  official  announcement  of  the  institution  of 
the  Great  Council  of  Florida,  on  the  I3th  of  Snow  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  393  (February  13,  1884). 

He  also  reported  that  a  dispensation  had  been  issued  for  in- 
stitution of  the  Great  Council  of  Colorado. 


388  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

He  also  reported  that  the  Great  Spirit  in  His  wisdom  had 
again  seen  fit  to  remove  from  the  hunting  grounds  of  earth  a 
chief  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  Great  Chief  of 
Records,  and  Past  Great  Incohonee  Joshua  Maris,  and  also 
made  official  mention  of  the  death  of  Past  Great  Incohonee 
Daniel  W.  Carter,  who,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  was  Chief  of 
Records  of  the  Great  Council  of  Delaware. 

He  reported  the  organization  of  new  Tribes  under  the  juris- 
diction of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  in  Florida,  South  Carolina,  Iowa,  Col- 
orado, and  Kansas,  and  the  introduction  again  of  the  Order  into 
Arkansas,  by  the  institution  of  Mineola  Tribe,  No.  i,  at  Hot 
Springs. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records,  pro  tern.,  Joseph  A.  Bond,  of 
Delaware,  presented  his  longtalk. 

From  the  statistical  abstract,  accompanying  the  report  of  the 
Great  Chief  of  Records,  we  glean  the  following  interesting 
information  :  Great  Councils,  24 ;  reservations  where  no  Great 
Council  existed,  13;  total  number  of  Tribes,  528;  adopted, 
9067  ;  reinstated,  534  ;  admitted  by  card,  332  ;  suspended,  3091  ; 
expelled,  47 ;  withdrawn  by  card,  275  ;  died,  340 ;  total  number 
of  members,  41,497;  amount  expended  for  relief  of  members, 
102,051  fathoms  and  30  inches;  expended  for  relief  of  widows 
and  orphans,  4892  fathoms  and  14  inches ;  expended  for  the 
burial  of  the  dead,  27,920  fathoms  and  29  inches  ;  expended  for 
education  of  orphans,  194  fathoms  and  28  inches;  other  Tribal 
disbursements,  138,808  fathoms  and  31  inches;  total  receipts  of 
Tribes,  363,951  fathoms  and  70  inches;  invested  by  Tribes, 
458,574  fathoms  and  4  inches  ;  in  Tribal  wampum  belts,  146,743 
fathoms  and  22  inches. 

He  reported  that  there  had  been  an  addition  of  754  names  to 
the  Beneficiary  Association,  and  there  had  been  paid  out  during 
the  great  sun  4726  fathoms  and  50  inches,  to  beneficiaries  of 
deceased  members. 

A  special  committee  of  five  was  appointed,  to  take  into  con- 
sideration the  conflict  of  opinion  alleged  to  exist  as  to  the  origin 
and  early  history  of  the  Order,  and  report  at  the  next  great  sun 
council.  In  this  connection  a  copy  of  the  history  upon  which 
Past  Great  Incohonee  Morris  H.  Gorham  of  Pennsylvania  had 
been  at  work  at  the  time  of  his  sudden  death,  was  presented  to 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.          389 

the  Great  Council,  received  by  that  body,  and  referred  to  the 
Special  Committee  on  the  History  of  the  Order  here  alluded  to. 

The  further  consideration  of  the  Revised  Constitution  and 
Laws  was  resumed  at  this  council,  and  the  Constitution  and 
General  Laws  as  then  amended  were  adopted  and  promulgated. 

Charters  were  ordered  to  be  issued  for  the  Great  Councils  of 
Iowa,  Colorado,  Florida,  and  Kansas,  and  for  the  various  Tribes 
in  Arkansas,  Florida,  South  Carolina,  Iowa,  and  Kansas. 

The  Special  Committee  on  selecting  some  appropriate  Indian 
word  signifying  "brother,"  reported  the  result  of  their  re- 
searches. They  found  many  terms  of  a  general  fraternal  sense, 
but  none  of  the  desired  specific  meaning,  and  therefore  made 
no  recommendation. 

The  Special  Committee  on  Resolutions  in  memory  of  the  late 
Great  Chief  of  Records,  Joshua  Maris,  P.  G.  I.,  submitted  a 
report,  which  was  adopted.  The  same  committee  presented 
resolutions  upon  the  death  of  Past  Great  Incohonee  Daniel  W. 
Carter,  which  were  also  adopted.  A  memorial  page  was  set 
aside  for  each  of  the  chiefs  named. 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the  ensu- 
ing term  were  as  follows  :  — 

Great  Incohonee,  WM.  H.  HYRONEMUS,  P.  G.  S.,  Tennessee. 

Great  Senior  Sagamore,  RALPH  S.  GREGORY,  P.  G.  S.,  Indiana. 

Great  Junior  Sagamore,  Louis  BECKHARDT,  P.  S.,  New  York. 

Great  Prophet,  CHARLES  H.  LITCHMAN,  P.  G.  I.,  Massachusetts. 

Great  Chief  of  Records,  CHARLES  C.  CONLEY,  P.  G.  S.,  Pennsylvania. 

Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  JOSEPH  PYLE,  P.  G.  I.,  Delaware. 

Great  Tocakon,  LUKE  S.  ROSENCRANCE,  P.  G.  S.,  New  York. 

Great  Minewa,  ADDISON  KNICKERBOCKER,  P.  G.  S.,  Illinois. 

Permission  was  given  to  translate  the  Ritual  of  the  Order 
into  the  Danish  language,  provided  that  no  expense  was  thereby 
incurred,  and  provided  further,  that  the  translation  should  be 
the  property  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

Numerous  changes  were  made  in  the  laws  governing  the  Ben- 
eficiary Association. 

From  this  council  dates  the  custom  now  in  vogue  of  a  stand- 
ing Committee  on  Finance,  which  meets  previous  to  the  kin- 
dling of  the  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  for  the  examination  of 
the  books  and  accounts,  and  for  the  purpose  of  making  such 


396          IMPROVED  ORDER  o£  RED  MEN. 

recommendations  to  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  as  the  exigencies  of  the 
Order  seem  to  require. 

The  hunting  grounds  of  Elmira,  N.Y.,  were  selected  as  the 
place  for  kindling  the  next  great  sun  council  fire. 

1885. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  in  the  wig- 
wam of  Massasoit  Tribe,  No.  14,  at  Elmira,  N.Y.,  on  the  8th 
of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  394,  Great  Incohonee  William  H. 
Hyronemus  presiding. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  that  credentials  had 
been  received  from  21  Great  Councils. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk. 

He  reported  the  institution  of  the  Great  Council  of  Colorado 
on  the  23d  sun  of  Sturgeon  moon,  G.  S.  D.  393  (August  23, 
1884). 

He  also  reported  the  institution  of  the  Great  Council  of  Kan- 
sas, in  the  city  of  Parsons,  on  the  i/th  of  Hunting  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
393  (December  17,  1884). 

He  also  reported  the  institution  of  the  Great  Council  of  Iowa 
in  the  city  of  Oskaloosa,  on  the  i8th  of  Hunting  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
393  (December  18,  1884). 

Another  Tribe  had  been  instituted  in  the  reservation  of 
Texas,  and  the  Order  had  been  introduced  into  Montana  by  the 
institution  of  Silver  Bow  Tribe,  No.  I,  Butte  City,  and  into  Wis- 
consin by  the  institution  of  Oshkosh  Tribe,  No.  I,  at  Oshkosh. 

He  also  referred  to  a  pleasant  tour  made  by  him  through  the 
Southern  States,  on  which  occasion  he  was  the  guest  of  the 
members  of  the  Order  in  that  section  of  the  country.  Among 
the  recommendations  made  were  the  establishment  of  a  home 
for  the  aged  and  indigent  Red  Men  and  their  widows,  and  that 
the  Great  Council  hold  its  councils  every  two  great  suns. 

The  longtalk  of  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  was  a  full  and 
explicit  statement  of  the  work  done  by  him  since  the  last  great 
sun  council.  From  the  statistical  abstract,  accompanying  the 
report  of  the  Great  Chief  of  Records,  we  learn  that  the  number 
of  Great  Councils  was  25  ;  reservations  where  no  Great  Councils 
existed,  9 ;  total  number  of  Tribes,  543  ;  adopted,  6633  ;  rein- 
stated, 344 ;  admitted  by  card,  298  ;  suspended,  4465  ;  expelled, 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED   STATES. 

76  ;  withdrawn  by  card,  355  ;  died,  403  ;  total  number  of  mem- 
bers, 43,619;  Past  Great  Sachems,  215  ;  Past  Sachems,  6668; 
amount  expended  for  relief  of  members,  109,476  fathoms  and 
20  inches  ;  expended  for  relief  of  widows  and  orphans,  3473 
fathoms  and  95  inches  ;  expended  for  burial  of  the  dead,  29,788 
fathoms  and  61  inches ;  expended  for  education  of  orphans, 
679  fathoms  and  86  inches;  other  Tribal  disbursements,  160,814 
fathoms  and  63  inches  ;  total  receipts  of  Tribes,  360,163  fathoms 
and  13  inches;  invested  by  Tribes,  495,966  fathoms  and  58 
inches  ;  in  Tribal  wampum  belts,  100,546  fathoms  and  15  inches. 

He  reported  a  great  falling  off  in  the  membership  of  the 
Beneficiary  Association. 

The  improved  condition  of  the  financial  affairs  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 
may  be  learned  from  the  statement  in  the  longtalk  of  the  Great 
Keeper  of  Wampum,  that  the  total  receipts  for  the  great  sun, 
including  balance  on  hand  at  last  settlement,  were  10,814 
fathoms  and  36  inches. 

We  have  already  referred  to  the  fact  that  at  various  times 
attempts  had  been  made  to  induce  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  to  adopt  a 
side  degree  into  which  could  be  admitted  the  wives  and  female 
relatives  of  the  members  of  the  Order.  At  this  council  a  com- 
munication was  received  from  the  Great  Council  of  Massachu- 
setts, asking  that  permission  be  granted  for  a  degree  to  which 
female  relatives  of  the  members  of  the  Order  could  be  admitted, 
and  that  a  code  of  laws  be  adopted  governing  the  same.  The 
proposition  was  referred  to  a  special  committee  which  subse- 
quently reported  in  favor  of  the  proposed  action.  This  report 
was  adopted,  and  the  committee  submitted  a  further  report  later 
in  the  council,  with  the  rules  and  regulations  for  the  govern- 
ment of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas  thus  established,  the  same  to 
go  into  effect  after  the  first  of  the  Cold  moon,  G.  S.  D.  395 
(January  I,  1886).  Under  the  appropriate  chapter,  further  allu- 
sion will  be  made  to  this  important  action  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

Up  to  the  present  time  the  regalia  and  jewel  for  a  Past  Great 
Incohonee  had  not  been  defined  with  sufficient  clearness,  and  at 
this  council  a  resolution  was  adopted  describing  what  they 
should  be. 

The  question  of  a  uniform  degree  again  claimed  the  attention 
of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  and  the  matter  was  referred  to  the  Committee 


392  IMPROVED    ORDEJl    OF  RED  MEN. 

on  the  State  of  the  Order,  which  subsequently  reported  general 
laws  governing  a  uniform  rank  to  be  known  as  the  "  Knights 
of  Tammany,"  with  a  uniform  appropriate.  The  matter  was 
adopted,  with  the  proviso  that  no  part  of  it  should  be  used  until 
a  ritual  therefor  had  been  approved  by  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

A  badge  to  be  worn  at  funerals  in  lieu  of  regalia  was 
adopted. 

It  was  voted  to  kindle  the  next  great  sun  council  fire  in  the 
hunting  grounds  of  Detroit,  Mich. 

The  Great  Council  again  refused  to  adopt  the  proposition  that 
the  business  of  the  Tribes  should  be  transacted  in  the  Chief's 
Degree. 

A  pleasing  feature  of  this  council  was  an  address  of  welcome 
on  behalf  of  the  city  of  Elmira  by  His  Excellency  David  B.  Hill, 
then  Governor  of  the  State. 

1886. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  in  Harmonic 
Hall,  Detroit,  Mich.,  on  the  I4th  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  395, 
Great  Incohonee  William  H.  Hyronemus  presiding. 

Previous  to  the  formal  kindling  of  the  council  fire,  addresses 
of  welcome  were  made  by  Past  Sachem  John  M.  Herz  and  Great 
Sachem  William  W.  Tanner,  to  which  an  appropriate  response 
was  made  by  Great  Incohonee  Hyronemus. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  that  credentials  had 
been  received  from  22  reservations. 

The  Great  Incohonee  presented  his  longtalk,  which  opened 
with  congratulations  that  the  Order  had  made  a  gain  during 
the  great  sun  of  nearly  8000  members.  He  especially  compli- 
mented Massachusetts,  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  and  New 
Jersey  for  the  work  done  in  those  reservations.  He  reported 
the  Great  Council  of  Kentucky  in  a  crippled  condition,  with 
only  one  Tribe  in  good  working  order.  Among  his  recommen- 
dations was  one  that  the  Tribes  in  the  reservations  of  Connec- 
ticut, Rhode  Island,  and  Vermont  be  placed  under  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Great  Council  of  Massachusetts.  He  made  official  an- 
nouncement of  the  death  of  Past  Great  Incohonee  William 
Beesley  Davis.  He  also  made  report  of  his  visitations  through 
the  Southern  States,  and  the  hospitality  with  which  he  was 
there  received. 


RALPH  S.  GREGORY 


CHARLES  C.  CONLEY. 


THOMAS  J.  FRANCIS. 


THOMAS  K.  DONNALLEY. 


PAST   GREAT   INCOHONEES. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.          393 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  presented  an  extended  longtalk 
of  the  transaction  of  his  chieftaincy  during  the  great  sun. 

From  the  statistical  abstract,  accompanying  the  longtalk  of 
the  Great  Chief  of  Records,  we  glean  the  following  information  : 
Number  of  Great  Councils,  24  ;  reservations  having  no  Great 
Council,  12;  total  number  of  Tribes,  591;  adopted,  12,506; 
reinstated,  612;  admitted  by  card,  328;  suspended,  5587;  ex- 
pelled, 55;  withdrawn  by  card,  300;  died,  489;  total  number 
of  members,  50,263  ;  Past  Great  Sachems,  223  ;  Past  Sachems, 
7115  ;  amount  expended  for  relief  of  members,  136,144  fathoms 
and  50  inches ;  expended  for  relief  of  widows  and  orphans, 
5412  fathoms  and  80  inches  ;  expended  for  burial  of  the  dead, 
37,150  fathoms  and  48  inches;  other  Tribal  disbursements, 
164,444  fathoms  and  79  inches  ;  total  Tribal  receipts,  450,469 
fathoms  and  60  inches  ;  Tribal  investments,  596,271  fathoms 
and  79  inches;  in  Tribal  wampum  belts,  106,915  fathoms  and 
86  inches. 

His  report  of  the  Beneficiary  Association  showed  that  the 
membership  was  gradually  falling  off,  and  that  it  had  not  met 
with  the  success  its  friends  fondly  hoped. 

He  reported  the  Order  in  Arkansas,  Kentucky,  and  Rhode 
Island  as  in  feeble  condition,  if  not  defunct. 

The  report  in  the  longtalk  of  the  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum 
showed  the  financial  affairs  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  to  be  in  a  healthy 
condition,  with  ample  wampum  to  meet  current  expenses. 

A  new  charter  was  granted  to  the  Great  Council  of  Virginia, 
to  replace  the  original,  lost  or  destroyed  during  the  war. 

The  Committee  on  History  of  the  Order,  previously  ap- 
pointed, reported  progress,  and  requested  further  time,  which 
was  granted. 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the  ensu- 
ing great  sun  were  as  follows  :  — 

Great  Incohonee,  RALPH  S.  GREGORY,  P.  G.  S.,         Indiana. 

Great  Senior  Sagamore,  THOMAS  J.  FRANCIS,  P.  G.  S.,          New  Jersey. 

Great  Junior  Sagamore,  THOMAS  K.  DONNALLEY,  P.  G.  S.,  Pennsylvania. 

Great  Prophet,  GEORGE  B.  COLFLESH,  P.  G.  I.,       Maryland. 

Great  Chief  of  Records,  CHARLES  C.  CONLEY,  P.  G.  S.,        Pennsylvania. 
Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  JOSEPH  PYLE,  P.  G.  I.,  Delaware. 

Great  Tocakon,  THOS.  E.  PECKINPAUGH,  P.  G.  S.,  Ohio. 

Great  Minewa,  A.  ANDREWS,  P.  S.,  California. 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

The  recommendation  of  the  Great  Incohonee  was  approved, 
placing  the  reservations  of  Connecticut,  Rhode  Island,  and  Ver- 
mont under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  Massachu- 
setts, and  the  request  of  the  Great  Council  of  Georgia  was 
granted,  placing  the  reservations  of  South  Carolina  and  Ala- 
bama under  the  jurisdiction  of  said  Great  Council  until  such 
time  as  the  States  named  should  be  in  condition  to  erect  and 
maintain  a  State  Great  Council. 

Various  amendments  to  the  Beneficiary  Association  Law  were 
presented,  considered,  and  adopted. 

It  was  voted  that  the  council  fire  of  the  next  great  sun  coun- 
cil be  kindled  in  the  hunting  grounds  of  Wilmington,  Del. 

One  of  the  important  actions  of  this  council  was  the  adoption 
of  rules  governing  a  uniformed  degree  for  the  Order,  to  be 
known  by  the  title  of  the  "  Chieftains'  League,"  and  the  cere- 
mony to  be  used  therein  to  be  that  already  adopted  for  Benefi- 
cial Degree  Councils,  with  slight  alteration.  This  action  was 
practically  the  completion  of  that  begun  at  the  preceding  great 
sun  council,  the  new  title  being  in  place  of  "  Knights  of  Tam- 
many," accepted  at  that  time. 

A  memorial  upon  the  death  of  Past  Great  Incohonee  William 
Beesley  Davis  was  adopted. 

A  committee  of  five  was  appointed  to  prepare  a  plan  for  the 
erection  of  a  home  for  Red  Men. 

At  this  council  a  Ritual  for  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas  was 
presented  and  adopted. 

As  an  indication  that  the  Great  Council  did  not  confine  its 
.charitable  operations  solely  to  the  members  of  the  Order,  it 
may  be  mentioned  that  at  this  council  an  appropriation  of  100 
fathoms  was  made  in  aid  of  the  sufferers  by  the  earthquake  in 
Charleston,  S.C. 

1887. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  in  Odd 
Fellow's  Hall,  Wilmington,  Del.,  on  the  I3th  of  Corn  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  396,  Great  Incohonee  Ralph  S.  Gregory  presiding. 

Previous  to  the  formal  kindling  of  the  council  fire,  the  Great 
Council  was  welcomed  to  the  reservation  of  Delaware  by  Past 
Great  Incohonee  Joseph  Pyle,  who  was  followed  by  John  M. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED   STATES.  395 

Whitford,  Deputy  Grand  Master  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  who  for  the  Order  he  represented  welcomed  the 
Great  Council  to  the  State.  A  fitting  and  appropriate  response 
was  made  by  Great  Incohonee  Gregory. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  that  credentials  had 
been  received  from  24  Great  Councils. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk. 

During  the  great  sun  he  had  issued  a  proclamation  in  which 
he  had  declared  that  the  work  of  the  Chieftains'  League  would 
be  issued  on  and  after  the  first  sun  of  Cold  moon,  G.  S.  D.  396 
(January  i,  1887),  and  the  work  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas. 
on  and  after  the  I5th  sun  of  Cold  moon,  G.  S.  D.  396  (January 
15,  1887),  and  that  in  accordance  with  the  action  of  the 
G.  C.  U.  S.,  he  had  placed  the  reservations  of  Connecticut, 
Rhode  Island,  and  Vermont  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great 
Council  of  Massachusetts,  and  the  reservations  of  South 
Carolina  and  Alabama  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great 
Council  of  Georgia. 

A  dispensation  had  been  granted  for  the  institution  of  a 
Tribe  in  Toronto,  Can.,  being  the  first  Tribe  instituted  on  this 
Continent  outside  of  the  limits  of  the  United  States. 

He  reported  the  organization  of  the  Great  Council  of 
Connecticut  on  the  ist  of  Sturgeon  moon,  G.  S.  D.  396 
(August  i,  1887). 

He  also  announced  the  organization  of  a  Chieftains'  League 
in  Pennsylvania  and  another  in  New  Jersey. 

The  correspondence  between  him  and  the  Chiefs,  in  the 
various  parts  of  the  great  reservation  of  the  United  States,  was 
given  in  full. 

The  longtalk  of  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  was  a  very 
interesting  document.  He  reported  that  almost  every  reser- 
vation showed  an  increase  in  membership,  the  net  gain  for  the 
great  sun  being  about  13,000. 

From  the  statistical  abstract,  accompanying  the  longtalk  of 
the  Great  Chief  of  Records,  we  glean  the  following  information : 
Number  of  Great  Councils,  24;  reservations  without  a  Great 
Council,  12;  adopted,  18,411;  reinstated,  575;  admitted  by 
card,  564;  suspended,  5749;  expelled,  79;  withdrawn  by  card, 
512;  died,  476;  total  number  of  members,  63,200;  Past 


396  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Great  Sachems,  242;  Past  Sachems,  8120;  amount  expended 
for  relief  of  members,  143,445  fathoms  and  3  inches ;  expended 
for  relief  of  widows  and  orphans,  5191  fathoms  and  88  inches; 
expended  for  burial  of  the  dead,  35,541  fathoms  and  48  inches; 
other  Tribal  disbursements,  210,075  fathoms  and  10  inches  ;  total 
receipts  of  Tribes,  560,582  fathoms  and  57  inches ;  Tribal  in- 
vestments, 573,312  fathoms  and  65  inches;  in  Tribal  wampum 
belts,  167,351  fathoms  and  97  inches. 

His  report  of  the  Beneficiary  Fund  was  not  very  encouraging 
as  to  its  condition  or  hope  for  the  future. 

Charters  were  granted  for  the  new  Tribes  at  Toronto,  Can., 
and  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  and  for  the  Great  Council  of 
Connecticut. 

The  reservation  of  Wisconsin  was  placed  under  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  the  Great  Council  of  Illinois. 

The  rules  governing  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas  were  amended 
so  as  to  permit  membership  to  members  of  the  Improved  Order 
of  Red  Men  of  the  Chief's  Degree  in  good  standing  in  their 
Tribes,  and  to  any  women  over  18  years  of  age  of  good  moral 
character.  Also  that  past  officers  of  organizations  that  were  in 
existence  prior  to  the  promulgation  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas, 
said  bodies  having  accepted  the  provisions  of  the  law,  were 
declared  to  be  entitled  to  the  rank  and  honors  of  Past  Chiefs, 
and  Great  Councils  were  required  to  make  out  and  present  to 
the  Great  Chief  of  Records  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  a  report  every 
great  sun  of  the  Councils  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas  under 
their  jurisdictions.  Previously  the  membership  had  been  re- 
stricted to  members  of  the  Order  of  the  Chief's  Degree  and 
their  immediate  relatives. 

The  Special  Committee  on  History  of  the  Order  submitted 
majority  and  minority  reports  as  follows  :  — 

MAJORITY  REPORT. 

GREAT  CHIEFS  AND  BROTHERS  :  Your  Committee  to  whom  was 
referred  the  origin  and  early  history  of  our  organization,  known 
to-day  as  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  respectfully  submit 
the  following  report  as  the  result  of  our  investigation  :  During 
Worm  moon,  G.  S.  D.  395,  they  met  according  to  appointment 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.  397 

in  the  city  of  Baltimore  with  all  -members  of  the  Committee 
present,  when  it  was  duly  organized  by  the  selection  of  A.  S. 
Williams,  of  Tennessee,  as  Chairman,  and  G.  C.  of  R.  Charles 
C.  Conley,  of  Pennsylvania,  as  Secretary. 

Brothers  P.  G.  I.  George  W.  Lindsay  and  P.  S.  William  G.  Hol- 
lis,  representing  respectively  the  "  Gorham  "  and  "  Lindsay  "  His- 
tories of  the  Order  were  present  with  all  their  manuscripts  and 
authorities  for  the  establishment  of  their  different  theories,  all 
of  which  were  cheerfully  placed  in  the  hands  of  your  Committee 
for  their  scrutiny  and  investigation  ;  Bros.  Lindsay  and  Hollis 
remaining  with  the  Committee  for  the  purpose  of  explaining  any 
matter  pertaining  to  the  manuscript  and  documents  that  might 
-not  be  of  themselves  sufficiently  clear  to  the  minds  of  the  Com- 
mittee, for  which  assistance  your  Committee  gratefully  acknowl- 
edge their  obligation. 

Your  Committee  find  from  the  various  documents  and  proofs 
submitted,  that  there  existed  during  the  early  history  of  our 
American  country  many  societies  of  men  formed  for  the  purpose 
of  attaining  a  higher  degree  of  religious,  social,  and  political 
freedom,  than  was  accessible  through  the  ordinary  avenues  of 
civil  life  as  tolerated  by  the  authority  emanating  from  the  throne 
of  royal  rulers  ;  the  guiding  principles  and  leading  features  of 
which  were  derived  in  a  great  measure  from  the  manners,  cus- 
toms, and  traditions  of  the  Aborigines  of  the  American  Con- 
tinent. It  seems  conclusive  from  the  evidence  extant  that  the 
American  paleface  was  early  imbued  with  many  of  the  com- 
mendable characteristics  that  marked  the  nature  of  the  North 
American  Indian  or  Red  Man  of  the  forest ;  so  much  so  that 
they  soon  commenced  to  manifest  an  admiration  for  many  of  his 
traits  of  character,  and  to  inscribe  them  upon  their  banners  as 
worthy  of  the  emulation  of  all  true  lovers  of  liberty,  home,  and 
friends.  Among  the  most  prominent  characteristics  exhib- 
ited by  the  nature  of  the  North  American  Indian,  and  which 
seemed  to  meet  a  heartier  response  from  the  bosom  of  the  primi- 
tive American  paleface,  was  his  love  of  freedom,  devotion  to 
friends,  and  implicit  faith  and  confidence  in  the  "  Kishe  Mani- 
tou,"  the  Great  Spirit,  in  whose  hands  he  claimed  all  power  to 
exist.  Hence  we  need  not  marvel  that  our  early  ancestors,  who 
were  at  the  time,  and  had  been  for  many  great  suns  previous, 


398  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

writhing  under  the  galling  yoke  of  British  tyranny,  should  so 
readily  learn  to  admire  and  partake  of  a  principle  that  sought 
to  alleviate  their  suffering,  and  establish  an  intercourse  among 
them  that  might  ultimately  destroy  oppression  and  bring  relief 
in  its  happiest  and  most  acceptable  form ;  hence  the  Boston 
Boys  as  the  "  Sons  of  Liberty,"  with  bucktails  and  other  marks 
of  the  aboriginal  Red  Man  of  the  forest,  are  found  asserting  in  a 
practical  way  the  principle  inculcated  by  such  precepts,  in  making 
Boston  harbor  the  receptacle  for  high  taxed  British  tea.  Again 
are  found  the  Tammany  Societies  or  Columbian  Order,  organized 
as  early  as  1771,  and  existing  in  several  States,  with  rituals  and 
guide  book  composed  almost  entirely  of  ideas  drawn  from  the 
original  inhabitants  of  the  American  Continent.  These  several 
and  different  societies,  so  far  as  your  Committee  has  been  able 
to  ascertain,  existed  as  individuals  so  far  as  their  allegiance  to  a 
source  of  higher  authority  of  the  Order  was  concerned  ;  in  other 
words,  each  adopted  such  rules  and  regulations  for  their  own 
government  as  they  deemed  wise  and  expedient,  and  consistent 
with  the  objects  and  purposes  of  their  several  societies.  These 
societies  continued  to  exist  in  one  form  or  another  as  to  name 
and  title  from  great  sun  to  great  sun  down  through  the  several 
periods  and  trying  changes  of  our  American  government,  gath- 
ering as  time  rolled  on  more  and  more  of  the  true  American 
idea  as  demonstrated  by  the  untutored  Red  Man  of  the  forest, 
making  very  little  progress,  if  any,  towards  consolidation,  or  the 
establishment  of  a  head  by  and  through  which  they  could  have 
a  concert  of  action,  until  after  the  war  of  1812,  when  a  society 
was  organized  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  known  as  Red  Men, 
some  time  between  1815  and  1817  A.D.,  which  created  a  line  of 
chiefs  or  officers  clothed  with  power  and  invested  with  a  com- 
mission from  what  was  known  as  the  Mother  Tribe,  to  make  or 
create  Red  Men  wherever  in  the  forest  of  life  opportunity  was 
offered.  For  a  more  perfect  description  of  the  Order  and  its 
modus  operandi,  see  Gorham's  "  History  of  the  Improved  Order 
of  Red  Men."  While  this  society  was  of  later  birth  than  the 
many  others  mentioned,  it  seemed  to  be  controlled  by  the  same 
spirit  that  actuated  those  before  it. 

Social  and  political  features.  —  But  while  the  facts  were  that 
way,  many  virtues  and  benevolent  ideas   seemed  to  make  way 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.  399 

into  the  meetings  and  take  hold  of  the  hearts  and  minds  of  the 
members,  until  they  were  persuaded  to  feel  that  their  mission 
was  not  circumscribed  by  the  mere  lines  of  political  and  social 
distinction,  but  was  capable  of  taking  position  in  the  front  ranks 
of  benevolent  and  charitable  institutions  with  an  abundant 
amount  of  crude  material  from  the  manners,  customs,  and  tradi- 
tions of  the  American  Indian,  out  of  which  to  mould  and  shape 
a  ritual  that  would  not  only  compare  favorably  with  that  of  like 
institutions,  but  possess  a  peculiarity  that  makes  it  especially 
interesting,  and  at  the  same  time  endears  it  to  every  American 
heart  —  since  it  would  be  the  first  secret  benevolent  organiza- 
tion of  American  birth,  owing  no  allegiance  to  other  lands  or 
country  for  any  part  of  its  construction  —  but  conceived  in  hope, 
born  of  liberty,  and  reared  under  the  blessed  influences  of 
Arnerica's  free  institutions  ;  facts  which  attest  the  sagacity, 
good  judgment,  and  patriotism  of  its  progenitors,  and  justly  en- 
title them  to  a  high  place  upon  the  scroll  of  public  benefactors 
and  the  sincere  gratitude  of  thousands  who  have  been  the  re- 
cipients of  its  munificent  bounty  and  multiplied  thousands  yet 
to  follow  who  may  become  the  happy  beneficiaries  of  its  benign 
influences. 

These  societies  continued  to  multiply  in  number  and  interest, 
until  they  were  found  in  many  States  of  our  Union,  and  became 
so  important  a  factor  in  the  affairs  of  our  country  that  it  be- 
came necessary,  in  order  to  make  their  work  more  effective,  to 
establish  direct  communication  with  each  other,  and  adopt  a 
plan  of  action  by  which  their  proceedings  would  be  uniform  and 
in  keeping  with  the  objects  and  purposes  of  the  Order.  On 
that  line  of  march  these  societies  continued  to  move  forward  in 
that  semi-connected  manner  until  G.  S.  D.  342,  in  the  city  of 
Baltimore,  Md.,  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  was  announced 
to  the  world  as  a  fraternal  and  benevolent  organization,  fully 
equipped  and  amply  prepared  to  assume  its  share  of  the  respon- 
sibilities resting  upon  secret  institutions,  and  to  discharge  every 
obligation  with  zeal  and  fidelity.  To  ascertain  the  success 
attained  in  that  direction,  go  ask  the  thousands  of  worthy  and 
noble  Improved  Red  Men,  who  each  seven  suns  assemble  around 
the  burning  council  fire  of  Freedom,  Friendship,  and  Charity, 
and  there  enjoy  the  sweet  benefits  of  our  beloved  Order. 


400  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

You,r  Committee  have  also  carefully  examined  the  works  pre- 
pared and  written  upon  the  origin  and  history  of  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men  by  our  worthy  and  faithful  brothers,  P.  G.  I.'s 
Morris  H.  Gorham  and  George  W.  Lindsay,  with  a  view  of  deter- 
mining if  possible  which  of  the  two  contained  the  most  correct 
and  authentic  account  of  the  source  and  early  history  of  our 
Order.  While  your  Committee  feel  justified  in  cheerfully  com- 
mending P.  G.  I.  Gorham's  History  to  the  Improved  Order  of 
Red  Men,  and  all  others  who  may  desire  knowledge  and  infor- 
mation upon  the  subject  of  our  organization,  as  a  work  complete 
in  many  respects  and  justly  entitled  to  the  name  it  bears,  as 
well  as  a  credit  to  its  lamented  author,  they  are  of  the  opinion 
from  the  facts  and  circumstances  adduced,  that  the  work  is  in 
error,  and  not  sustained  by  the  authorities  presented  to  your 
Committee,  when  it  fixes  Fort  MifHin  as  the  place,  and  1813 
as  the  time  where  and  when  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men 
originated. 

The  manuscript  of  the  proposed  History  of  the  Order  by 
P.  G.  I.  George  W.  Lindsay  establishes  the  fact  conclusively  that 
there  were  societies  of  Red  Men  formed  for  social  and  political 
purposes  by  palefaces  as  far  back  as  1771,  which  societies  contin- 
ued to  grow  and  multiply  in  one  form  and  another  until  October 
14,  1833,  when  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  was  organized 
and  given  to  the  world  as  an  endowed  benevolent  institution 
which  stands  to-day  as  a  witness  thereof. 

Respectfully  submitted,  in  F.  F.  &  C, 

ALBERT  S.  WILLIAMS, 
JOSEPH  PYLE, 
CHAS.  C.  CONLEY, 
J.  H.  BENNETT. 

MINORITY  REPORT. 

While  there  is  much  in  the  report  of  the  majority  of  the 
Committee  to  which  I  do  not  object,  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  give 
briefly  the  reasons  why  I  cannot  concur  in  the  conclusions  of 
my  colleagues. 

In  my  opinion  the  information  at  hand  may  be  considered 
under  three  heads  ;  — 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED   STATES.          401 

1.  Tradition. 

2.  Supposition. 

3.  Fact. 

When  we  deal  with  the  traditions  of  that  period  which  gave 
birth  to  the  American  Republic,  we  find  in  existence  societies 
of  various  kinds,  and  holding  various  names.  These  were  the 
masks  behind  which  the  men  of  those  days  concealed  their 
actions.  These  actions  if  successful  made  them  heroes  ;  if  fail- 
ures made  them  traitors.  Hence,  until  the  arbitrament  of,  war 
decided  whether  they  should  be  crowned  or  hung,  they  from 
motives  of  prudence  concealed  their  identity  by  the  fictitious 
names  used  in  the  societies  alluded  to.  The  nomenclature  of 
the  Indian  Tribes  was  admirably  adapted  and  naturally  applied 
for  that  purpose.  This  will  explain  why  the  ceremonies  of 
nearly  all  these  societies  partook  so  largely  of  the  characteristics 
of  the  ceremonies  of  the  Indian  Race. 

I  fail  to  find  any  evidence  that  these  societies  were  known  or 
called  Orders  of  Red  Men  in  any  sense  that  could  justify  the 
claim  that  our  present  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  is  in  any 
way  connected  with  them,  or  is  the  lineal  descendant  thereof. 

With  the  organization  formed  at  Fort  Mifflin,  commences 
what  I  call  the  era  of  supposition  in  the  history  of  our  Order. 

It  is  possible,  and  perhaps  probable,  that  among  those  who 
formed  this  society  of  Red  Men  were  those  who  had  been  mem- 
bers of  the  earlier  Tammany  Societies  of  the  Revolutionary 
period.  No  evidence  of  this  fact  has  to  my  knowledge  been 
produced. 

For  several  years  the  record  is  sufficiently  clear  and  unbroken 
to  substantiate  the  claim  that  from  them  came  the  inspiration, 
the  suggestion,  the  names  and  titles,  and  indeed  the  very  per- 
sonality by  which  the  Tribes  were  organized,  which  in  the  city 
of  Baltimore  formed  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

This  brings  us  to  the  era  of  fact  and  to  the  date  from  which 
the  historical  record  is  complete. 

I  could  sustain  what  is  here  stated  by  copious  extracts  from 
the  documents  submitted  to  your  Committee,  but  I  do  not  care 
to  weary  you. 

I  submit  the  following  as  my  conclusions  :  — 

i.    The  very  able,  instructive,  and  interesting  compilation  of 


402  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Lindsay,  while  a  very  valuable  contribu- 
tion to  the  legendary  lore  concerning  the  societies  which  existed 
prior  to  1812,  does  not  prove  them  the  origin  of  our  Order. 

2.  The  History  of  Past  Great  Incohonee  Gorham  does  con- 
clusively prove  the  existence  of  a  Society  of  Red  Men  at  Fort 
Mifflin  during  the  war  of  1812.  It  also  furnishes  strong  circum- 
stantial evidence  of  continuity  of  existence  down  to  very  near 
the  time  of  the  formation  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  at 
Baltimore  in  the  year  1833.  It  also  proves,  and  the  proof  is 
strengthened  by  documents  in  existence,  that  members  of  the 
organization  which  grew  out  of  that  at  Fort  Mifflin,  subse- 
quently participated  in  the  organization  of  Tribes  that  formed 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  the  officers  by  which  some 
of  these  Tribes  (if  not  all)  were  organized  acting  under  author- 
ity conferred  by  those  who  were  active  in  the  Tribes  existing 
from  1813  to  1830. 

If  you  wish  to  launch  upon  the  unknown  sea  of  fanciful  tradi- 
tion to  find  an  origin  for  our  Order,  you  will  go  to  the  closing 
years  of  the  i8th  century  and  find  it  there.  If  you  wish  to 
have  an  origin  with  at  least  a  plausible  foundation,  I  think  you 
will  be  justified  in  claiming  a  beginning  at  Fort  Mifflin  in  1813. 

If  you  wish  to  be  exactly  and  historically  correct,  truth  will 
compel  you  to  halt  at  the  formation  of  the  Improved  Order  of 
Red  Men  at  Baltimore  in  1834,  and  declare  that  the  true  origin 
of  our  Order. 

While  I  may  not  be  able  to  be  present  personally  and  submit 
this  report,  I  ask  for  it  your  kind  consideration. 

I  offer  the  following  for  your  action  :  — 

Resolved,  That  in  the  facts  presented  to  your  Committee 
nothing  has  been  added  to  the  knowledge  already  gained  which 
would  require  any  additional  action  by  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States. 

Yours  fraternally, 

CHAS.  H.  LITCHMAN,  Committee. 

The  Great  Council,  after  considerable  deliberation,  adopted 
the  report  of  the  majority,  thus  declaring  that  there  was  reason- 
able foundation  for  the  claim,  that  our  Order  has  its  origin  in 
the  societies  existing  from  the  time  just  prior  to  the  American 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.          403 

Revolution.  Guided  by  this  action  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States,  this  History  has  been  prepared,  and  its  conclu- 
sions and  deductions,  as  far  as  sustained  by  evidence  and  docu- 
ments obtainable,  have  been  recorded,  by  the  compilers. 

An  appropriation  of  500  fathoms  was  made  for  the  contingent 
expenses  of  the  Great  Incohonee,  Great  Senior  Sagamore,  and 
Great  Junior  Sagamore  during  the  ensuing  great  sun. 

It  was  voted  that  the  next  great  sun  council  fire  be  kindled  in 
the  hunting  grounds  of  Chicago,  111. 

Among  the  resolutions  of  thanks  adopted  upon  report  of  the 
Committee  on  State  of  the  Order  was  one  extended  to  his  Ex- 
cellency Governor  B.  T.  Biggs,  of  the  State  of  Delaware,  for 
his  eloquent  and  hearty  address  of  welcome,  his  Honor  C.  B. 
Rhoads,  mayor  of  the  city  of  Wilmington,  and  to  Past  Great 
Incohonee  Joseph  Pyle,  at  whose  beautiful  home  the  members 
of  the  Great  Council  had  been  entertained  during  the  council. 

An  appropriation  of  200  fathoms  was  made,  to  be  used  by  the 
trustees  of  the  Beneficiary  Fund  for  the  extension  and  building 
up  of  the  membership  thereof. 

At  this  council  a  special  committee  was  appointed  to  have 
prepared  a  certificate  of  membership  to  be  issued  under  the 
direction  and  authority  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

1888. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  the  Palmer 
House,  Chicago,  111.,  on  the  nth  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  397, 
Great  Incohonee  Ralph  S.  Gregory  presiding. 

Previous  to  the  formal  kindling  of  the  council  fire,  Past  Great 
Sachem  Owen  Scott,  on  behalf  of  the  Great  Council  of  Illinois, 
welcomed  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  to  the  reser- 
vation of  Illinois,  and  a  proper  response  was  made  by  Great 
Incohonee  Gregory. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  that  credentials  had 
been  received  from  23  Great  Councils. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk,  which  com- 
menced by  congratulating  the  Great  Council  that  the  numerical 
strength  of  the  Order  had  increased  18,000  during  the  preceding 
great  sun,  and  that  all  differences,  dissensions,  factions,  and 


404  IMPROVED   ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

discords  had  gracefully  submitted  to  the  principles  of  Freedom, 
Friendship,  and  Charity. 

He  reported  the  Chieftains'  League  and  the  Degree  of 
Pocahontas  as  prospering  and  increasing  rapidly. 

He  also  reported  the  institution  of  the  Great  Council  of 
Rhode  Island,  and  presented  in  detail  the  history  of  the  Order 
during  the  great  sun. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  submitted  his  longtalk,  which 
also  congratulated  the  Great  Council  on  the  progress  made  dur- 
ing the  great  sun. 

He  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  the  deaths  of 
Past  Incohonee  William  G.  Gorsuch,  of  Maryland,  and  Past 
Great  Incohonee  James  P.  Riely,  of  Virginia.  Brother  Gorsuch 
was  the  first  Great  Incohonee  of  the  Order. 

He  also  reported  the  organization  of  two  additional  Tribes  in 
Washington  Territory  and  the  reorganization  of  Osceola  Tribe, 
No.  i,  in  North  Carolina. 

The  correspondence  received  by  him  indicated  that  Great 
Councils  would  soon  be  organized  in  the  reservations  of  Ala- 
bama and  Maine. 

He  also  reported  that  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas  had  already 
become  very  popular.  Councils  had  been  instituted  in  Cali- 
fornia, Connecticut,  Illinois,  Indiana,  Massachusetts,  Nevada, 
New  Hampshire,  New  York,  Ohio,  Oregon,  Pennsylvania, 
Virginia,  and  West  Virginia. 

From  the  statistical  abstract  submitted  with  the  longtalk  of 
the  Great  Chief  of  Records  we  glean  the  following  informa- 
tion :  Number  of  Great  Councils,  25 ;  reservations  without  Great 
Councils,  4;  adopted,  22,813;  reinstated,  611;  admitted  by 
card,  2310;  suspended,  6546;  rejected,  616 ;  expelled,  103; 
withdrawn  by  card,  2477  ;  died,  674  ;  total  number  of  members, 
78,781  ;  Past  Great  Sachems,  262  ;  Past  Sachems,  9062;  total 
number  of  Tribes,  896  ;  amount  expended  for  relief  of  members, 
159,449  fathoms  and  16  inches ;  amount  expended  for  relief  of 
widows  and  orphans,  6988  fathoms  and  65  inches  ;  expended  for 
burial  of  the  dead,  46,443  fathoms  and  3 1  inches ;  other  Tribal 
disbursements,  30x3,278  fathoms  and  96  inches  ;  total  Tribal 
receipts,  682,414  fathoms  and  11  inches;  Tribal  investments, 
667,643  fathoms  and  53  inches;  in  Tribal  wampum  belts, 
243,712  fathoms  and  91  inches. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.          405 

No  further  progress  could  be  reported  concerning  the  Bene- 
ficiary Fund,  although  the  balance  in  the  reserve  fund  had 
increased  to  790  fathoms  and  48  inches. 

The  growth  of  the  Order  was  made  manifest  in  the  increased 
receipts  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  the  amount  received  during  the 
great  sun  being  12,428  fathoms  and  27  inches. 

A  proposition  was  submitted  in  behalf  of  Brother  Lee  C. 
Hascall  for  a  publication  of  a  history  of  the  Order,  and  the 
matter  was  referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  State  of  the 
Order.  Upon  the  report  of  that  committee  the  proposition  as 
submitted  was  in  substance  adopted,  and  a  committee  of  three 
appointed  to  prepare  the  necessary  material.  It  may  be  stated 
in  passing  that  it  is  under  the  authority  herein  mentioned  that 
the  present  History  was  prepared  and  published. 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the  ensu- 
ing term  were  as  follows :  — 

Great  Incohonee,  THOMAS  J.  FRANCIS,  P.  G.  S.,  New  Jersey. 

Great  Senior  Sagamore,  THOS.  K.  DONNALLEY,  P.  G.  S.,  Pennsylvania. 

Great  Junior  Sagamore,  THOS.  E.  PECKINPAUGH,  P.  G.  S.,  Ohio. 

Great  Prophet,  RALPH  S.  GREGORY,  P.  G.  I.,  Indiana. 

Great  Chief  of  Records,  CHARLES  C.  CONLEY,  P.  G.  S.,  Pennsylvania. 

Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  JOSEPH  PYLE,  P.  G.  I.,  Delaware. 

Great  Tocakon,  ANDREW  H.  PATON,  P.  G.  S.,  Massachusetts. 

Great  Minewa,  R.  T.  DANIEL,  P.  S.,  Georgia. 

The  committee  appointed  at  the  previous  great  sun  council 
to  prepare  a  Diploma  of  membership  reported  that  the  owner  of 
the  Diploma  originated  by  the  late  Past  Great  Incohonee  Morris 
H.  Gorham,  was  willing  to  make  an  agreement  with  the 
G.  C.  U.  S.  to  pay  into  the  wampum  belt  15  inches  as  a  royalty 
for  each  certificate  issued.  The  committee  recommended  that 
the  proposition  be  accepted.  This  the  Great  Council  refused  to 
do,  and  referred  the  matter  to  a  special  committee  of  three. 
This  committee  subsequently  reported  a  review  of  the  legisla- 
tion of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  under  which  the  original  publication  of 
the  Diploma  by  Brother  Gorham  was  permitted,  and  recom- 
mended that  the  committee  be  continued  until  the  next  great 
sun  council,  in  order  that  the  exact  rights  of  all  parties  con- 
cerned might  be  ascertained  and  reported  to  the  Great  Council. 

Charters   were    granted   for   the   Great    Councils    of   Rhode 


406  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Island,  Maine,  and  Alabama  and  for  Tribes  in  North  Carolina, 
Washington,  and  Oregon. 

The  Tribes  in  the  reservation  of  Kentucky  were  placed  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  Ohio. 

The  Great  Chiefs  were  authorized  to  prepare  a  design  for  a 
signal  or  flag  that  may  be  used  by  members  of  the  Order  who 
are  mariners,  it  being  suggested  that  the  signal  combine  the 
four  colors  of  the  Order,  green,  blue,  orange,  and  red. 

It  was  voted  that  the  next  great  sun  council  fire  be  kindled 
in  the  hunting  grounds  of  Baltimore,  Mel. 

The  Special  Committee  on  Memorials  to  Past  Great  Incohonee 
William  G.  Gorsuch  and  Past  Great  Incohonee  James  P.  Riely 
made  a  report,  which  was  adopted. 

Two  hundred  fathoms  of  wampum  were  appropriated  for  the 
yellow  fever  sufferers  of  Florida,  and  an  appeal  to  the  Order 
for  funds  was  authorized. 

A  charter  was  granted  to  the  Great  Council  of  Illinois  to 
replace  the  original  lost  or  destroyed. 

Legislation  was  adopted  at  this  council  perfecting  the  rules 
governing  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas. 

1889. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Red  Men's 
Hall,  Baltimore,  Md.,  on  the  loth  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  398, 
Great  Incohonee  Thomas  J.  Francis  presiding. 

Previous  to  the  formal  kindling  of  the  council  fire  Past  Great 
Sachem  John  H.  Bennett  on  behalf  of  the  Great  Council  of 
Maryland  welcomed  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  to  Baltimore.  The  re- 
marks of  welcome  were  fittingly  responded  to  by  Great  Incoho- 
nee Francis. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  that  credentials  had 
been  received  from  26  Great  Councils. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk,  which  was  a  full 
and  complete  record  of  the  business  coming  under  his  super- 
vision during  the  great  sun. 

He  had  authorized  the  institution  of  the  Great  Council  of 
Maine  in  the  hunting  grounds  of  Bath  on  the  25th  sleep  of 
Travelling  moon,  G.  S.  D.  397  (October  25,  1888). 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.          407 

In  person  he  had  instituted  the  Great  Council  of  Alabama  in 
the  hunting  grounds  of  Birmingham  on  the  iQth  of  Beaver 
moon,  G.  S.  D.  397  (November  19,  1888). 

He  spoke  of  the  many  visitations  he  had  made  in  various 
reservations,  and  of  action  taken  by  him  to  relieve  distress 
caused  by  an  epidemic  of  yellow  fever  in  Florida,  and  by  the 
terrible  floods  at  Johnstown,  Pa.,  and  elsewhere.  He  detailed 
the  correspondence  that  had  been  received  by  him  in  relation 
to  the  Diploma  of  the  late  Brother  Gorham  formerly  issued 
under  the  authority  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

An  unfortunate  difficulty  in  the  reservation  of  Illinois  had 
arisen  which  called  for  prompt  action  on  his  part,  and  which  at 
one  time  threatened  to  rupture  the  pleasant  relations  that 
should  exist  between  Tribes  and  a  Great  Council  and  between 
a  State  Great  Council  and  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  It  may  be  said  in 
passing  that  reason  and  common  sense  finally  prevailed,  and 
brothers  who  had  been  antagonistic  to  each  other  came  together 
in  the  spirit  of  harmony  and  fraternity,  differences  were  adjusted 
and  forgotten,  and  the  reservation  of  Illinois  placed  again  on  the 
road  to  enduring  prosperity. 

The  longtalk  of  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  showed  that  the 
membership  of  the  Beneficiary  Association  had  gradually  de- 
creased, although  the  reserve  fund  showed  that  the  system 
under  which  the  Association  was  conducted  was  sound  from  a 
business  standpoint. 

He  referred  to  action  which  had  been  taken  for  the  relief  of 
sufferers  by  yellow  fever,  and  stated  that  the  amount  which 
had  been  received  in  response  to  an  appeal  for  their  aid  was 
817  fathoms  and  5  inches.  The  action  of  the  Great  Council  in 
this  matter,  he  said,  had  received  the  warmest  praise  in  the 
reservation  of  Florida,  the  people  and  the  press  of  the  State 
having  united  in  giving  highest  credit  to  the  Improved  Order 
of  Red  Men  for  its  generous  and  well-directed  assistance. 

He  recommended  that  the  unexpended  balance  of  the  fund 
raised  be  placed  in  bank  as  a  special  fund  to  be  used  by  the 
great  chiefs  whenever  a  case  of  emergency  may  arise  requiring 
instant  relief. 

He  also  referred  to  the  action  of  the  Order  in  connection 
with  the  flood  at  Johnstown,  Pa.,  the  amount  raised  by  volun- 


408  IMPROVED    ORDER   OF  RED  MEN. 

tary  subscription  from  various  Tribes  being  1693  fathoms  and 
85  inches,  including  a  donation  of  250  fathoms  from  the 
G.  C.  U.  S.,  the  total  amount  having  been  paid  to  the  Great 
Chief  of  Records  of  Pennsylvania  to  be  disbursed  among  the 
sufferers  by  the  flood. 

He  called  attention  to  the  success  which  had  attended  the 
introduction  of  the  Chieftains'  League  and  the  Degree  of 
Pocahontas. 

From  the  statistical  abstract,  accompanying  his  longtalk,  we 
glean  the  following  information  :  Number  of  Great  Councils,  28 ; 
reservations  without  a  Great  Council,  3 ;  adopted,  18,779  '•> 
reinstated,  236 ;  admitted  by  card,  2025 ;  suspended,  9808 ; 
rejected,  857;  expelled,  116;  withdrawn  by  card,  2196;  died, 
697 ;  total  number  of  members,  88,442  ;  Past  Great  Sachems, 
261;  Past  Sachems,  10,360;  total  number  of  Tribes,  976; 
amount  expended  for  relief  of  members,  149,648  fathoms  and  70 
inches  ;  expended  for  relief  of  widows  and  orphans,  4590  fathoms 
and  67  inches  ;  expended  for  burial  of  the  dead,  40,700  fathoms 
and  68  inches ;  other  Tribal  disbursements,  257,424  fathoms 
and  10  inches ;  total  receipts  of  Tribes,  654,074  fathoms  and 
60  inches  ;  Tribal  investments,  727,008  fathoms  and  14  inches  ; 
in  Tribal  wampum  belts,  326,242  fathoms  and  85  inches. 

The  Trustees  of  the  Beneficiary  Fund  made  a  report  in  which 
they  expressed  regret  that  the  efforts  to  increase  the  interest  in 
the  Fund  had  not  met  with  the  success  desired.  There  had 
been  a  slight  decrease  in  membership,  and  the  total  of  the 
reserve  and  general  fund  was  935  fathoms  and  46  inches. 

The  reservation  of  the  State  of  Nebraska  was  placed  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  Iowa,  with  the  hope 
that  the  Order  in  that  reservation  might  be  resuscitated. 

The  Special  Committee  on  Digest  made  a  report,  and  sub- 
mitted the  Digest  which  had  been  prepared,  which  was  accepted 
by  the  Great  Council. 

The  Committee  on  Finance  submitted  a  report  which  stated 
the  total  amount  received  during  the  great  sun  was  15,360 
fathoms  and  78  inches. 

The  Special  Committee  on  Diploma  submitted  an  exhaustive 
report  which  detailed  the  exact  situation  and  the  relation  borne 
by  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  to  the  matter.  The  report  concluded  with 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.          409 

a  recommendation  that  the  Order  should  adopt  and  issue  an 
Official  Diploma,  or  give  fair  field  and  no  favor  to  all  members 
who  wished  to  manufacture  and  sell  Diplomas  to  members. 

The  Great  Council  decided  to  issue  an  Official  Diploma,  and 
to  offer  a  premium  for  a  design. 

It  was  voted  that  the  next  great  sun  council  fire  be  kindled 
in  the  hunting  grounds  of  Boston,  Mass. 

The  Great  Council  voted  unanimously  to  grant  charters  to 
Manataug  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Marblehead,  Mass.,  and  Seattle  Tribe, 
No.  2,  of  Seattle,  Wash.,  to  replace  originals  destroyed  by  fire. 
The  charter  of  Manataug  Tribe  was  granted  by  the  G.  C.  U.  S., 
because  the  original  charter  of  said  Tribe  had  been  granted  by 
said  body. 

At  this  council  a  large  number  of  amendments  were  pre- 
sented containing  propositions  to  amend  the  laws  governing 
Chieftains'  Leagues,  and  suggesting  uniforms  and  other  matters 
of  interest  to  the  League.  After  consuming  a  great  deal  of 
time  upon  the  consideration  of  these  various  propositions,  the 
Great  Council  adopted  a  resolution  giving  the  Chieftains'  League 
an  independent  organization,  with  the  qualification  that  none 
but  Red  Men  in  good  standing  should  be  admitted  thereto  or 
continue  as  members  thereof. 

The  Great  Council  adopted  the  recommendation  of  the  Great 
Chief  of  Records  that  the  balance  of  the  Yellow  Fever  Fund 
be  set  apart  as  a  Benevolence  Fund  to  be  at  the  disposal  of 
the  great  chiefs,  and  to  be  used  in  cases  of  great  emergency 
for  the  benefit  of  the  Order. 

The  Great  Council  refused  to  adopt  an  amendment  permitting 
the  admission  of  palefaces  under  21  great  suns  of  age. 

1890. 

The  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Encamp- 
ment Hall,  No.  724  Washington  Street,  Boston,  Mass.,  on  the 
9th  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  399,  Great  Incohonee  Thomas  J. 
Francis  presiding. 

Previous  to  the  formal  kindling  of  the  council  fire,  Great 
Sachem  Charles  H.  Symonds,  on  behalf  of  the  Great  Council  of 
Massachusetts,  and  the  Order  in  that  State,  heartily  welcomed 


410  IMPROVED   ORDER   OF  RED  MEN. 

the  members  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  to  the  hospitality  of  the  Order 
in  the  reservation.  The  address  of  welcome  was  responded  to 
in  a  fitting  manner  by  Great  Prophet  Ralph  S.  Gregory. 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  that  credentials  had 
been  received  from  27  Great  Councils. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk,  covering  the 
transactions  of  the  preceding  great  sun.  It  embraced  a  full 
and  detailed  statement  of  the  decisions  made  by  him,  and  the 
correspondence  had  with  various  chiefs  and  great  chiefs  through- 
out the  Order. 

He  reported  that  North  Carolina  had  again  renewed  its  inter- 
est in  the  Order  by  the  institution  of  three  Tribes  in  that  reser- 
vation. 

Dispensations  had  also  been  issued  for  another  Tribe  in  Ore- 
gon, at  Portland. 

During  the  great  sun  he  had  made  official  visitations  in  New 
Jersey,  West  Virginia,  Michigan,  Pennsylvania,  Connecticut, 
New  York,  Maine,  and  Virginia. 

He  called  the  attention  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  to  an  evil  which 
had  crept  into  the  Order  in  the  form  of  what  purported  to  be 
"a  mock  adoption  for  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men."  He 
believed  such  a  matter  detrimental  to  the  best  interests  of  the 
Order,  and  called  for  such  action  as  the  Great  Council  saw  fit 
to  take.  He  also  condemned  gift  concerts  and  lotteries  as  an 
infraction  of  the  laws  of  the  Great  Council. 

Among  the  interesting  matters  touched  upon  in  the  longtalk 
was  a  report  received  from  one  of  his  Vice  Great  Incohonees 
who  had  endeavored  to  introduce  the  Order  into  Denmark,  but 
had  failed  because  of  its  isolation  from  the  parent  body,  and  the 
consequent  difficulty  of  keeping  the  necessary  close  and  con- 
stant connection,  and  because  of  the  fact  that  the  Order  being 
wholly  American,  the  patriotic  sentiment  which  is  so  much  an 
element  of  its  strength  at  home  would  be  entirely  lacking  in 
Denmark. 

The  longtalk  of  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  was  very  inter- 
esting, showing  the  transactions  of  his  chieftaincy  during  the 
great  sun.  The  success  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas  was  indi- 
cated by  the  fact  that  there  were  11,302  members  in  the  degree, 
according  to  the  latest  reports  received. 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED   STATES.  411 

He  gave  a  detailed  statement  of  the  Beneficiary  Fund,  and 
showed  that  there  had  been  paid  to  the  beneficiaries  during  the 
six  great  suns  it  had  existed  the  sum  of  44,944  fathoms  and 
20  inches.  The  membership  had  been  reduced  so  low  that 
notices  had  been  sent  to  the  members  thereof  requesting  an 
expression  of  opinion  as  to  the  advisability  of  winding  up  the 
concern.  There  had  been  received  62  answers,  of  which  16 
were  for  continuance,  and  46  against  continuance. 

From  the  statistical  abstract,  accompanying  the  longtalk,  we 
glean  the  following  information:  Number  of  Great  Councils,  28; 
number  of  Tribes,  1078  ;  reservations  without  a  Great  Council, 

3  ;  adopted,   19,978  ;  reinstated,    1003  ;  admitted  by  card,  891  ; 
suspended,  9983;  rejected,  816;    expelled,   128;  withdrawn  by 
card,    1236;    died,    784;     total    number   of    members,    97,164; 
amount  expended  for  relief  of  members,  233,069  fathoms  and 

4  inches;    expended  for   relief  of   widows   and   orphans,   9655 
fathoms  and  71  inches  ;  expended  for  burial  of  the  dead,  51,866 
fathoms  and   56   inches ;    other  Tribal  disbursements,  337,458 
fathoms  and  50  inches;  total  receipts  of  Tribes,  925,731  fath- 
oms and  92  inches;   Tribal  investments,   803,813  fathoms  and 
i    inch;    in    Tribal    wampum    belts,    359,272    fathoms   and   91 
inches. 

For  the  first  time  there  was  included  in  the  longtalk  of  the 
Great  Chief  of  Records  a  summary  of  the  condition  of  Councils 
of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas.  The  statistical  abstract  showed 
that  the  degree  had  been  established  in  18  States;  total  num- 
ber of  Councils,  145;  adopted,  5015;  reinstated,  25;  admitted 
by  card,  109;  suspended,  896;  rejected,  136;  expelled,  4;  with- 
drawn by  card,  344 ;  died,  61  ;  total  number  of  members,  1 1,302 ; 
Past  Chiefs,  328;  amount  expended  for  relief  of  members,  2169 
fathoms  and  18  inches;  expended  for  relief  of  widows  and  or- 
phans, 225  fathoms  and  99  inches  ;  expended  for  burial  of  the 
dead,  666  fathoms  and  16  inches ;  expended  for  other  Council 
purposes,  20,285  fathoms  and  22  inches  ;  total  Council  receipts, 
36,509  fathoms  and  69  inches  ;  Council  investments,  9174  fath- 
oms 53  inches;  in  Council  wampum  belts,  11,843  fathoms  and 
4  inches. 

The  Trustees  of  the  Beneficiary  Fund  showed  that  the  mem- 
bership had  dwindled  to  97,  and  that  the  total  balance  on  hand 


412  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

in  the  reserve  fund  and  general  fund  was  1046  fathoms  and  55 
inches. 

The  chiefs  elected  and  appointed  and  raised  up  for  the  ensu- 
ing term  were  as  follows :  — 

Great  Incohonee,  THOS.  K.  DONNALLEY,  P.  G.  S.,  Pennsylvania. 

Great  Senior  Sagamore,  THOS.  E.  PECKINPAUGH,  P.  G.  S.,  Ohio. 

Great  Junior  Sagamore,  ANDREW  H.  PATON,  P.  G.  S.,       Massachusetts. 

Great  Prophet,  THOMAS  J.  FRANCIS,  P.  G.  I.,        New  Jersey. 

Great  Chief  of  Records,  CHARLES  C.  CONLEY,  P.  G.  I.,      Pennsylvania. 

Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  JOSEPH  PYLE,  P.  G.  I.,  Delaware. 

Great  Tocakon,  GEORGE  E.  GREEN,  P.  G.  S.,        New  York. 

Great  Minewa,  JAMES  JOHNSON,  P.  S.,  Colorado. 

For  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  the  Great  Council  there 
was  but  one  nominee  for  each  chieftaincy,  and  each  brother 
nominated  was  unanimously  elected. 

Action  was  taken  by  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  at  this  council  without 
precedent  in  the  history  of  that  body.  It  was  the  grant  by 
unanimous  vote,  of  the  title  and  honors  of  Past  Great  Incohonee 
to  Past  Great  Sachem  and  Great  Chief  of  Records  Charles  C. 
Conley,  of  Pennsylvania,  for  meritorious  service. 

The  Committee  on  History  of  the  Order  reported  that  a  con- 
ference had  been  held  with  Brother  Hascall,  who  had  signified 
his  acquiescence  in  the  terms  suggested  by  the  Great  Council, 
and  who  further  desired  that  the  History  should  include  the 
Digest  of  the  Order.  The  Committee  thought  this  could  not 
be  done  without  permission  from  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  which  said 
committee  recommended  should  be  granted.  The  report  of  the 
committee  was  adopted  and  the  requisite  permission  given. 

A  charter  was  granted  for  the  Great  Council  of  South  Caro- 
lina. 

The  Great  Council  adopted  the  report  of  the  Committee  on 
State  of  the  Order  in  relation  to  "a  mock  adoption  ceremony" 
and  other  burlesque  ceremonies  to  the  effect  that  "such  bur- 
lesque ceremonies  detract  from  the  dignity  of,  and  tend  to  lower 
the  Order,  in  the  estimation  of  those  not  connected  with  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  and  should  be  condemned." 

Similar  action  was  taken  in  connection  with  gift  concerts  and 
similar  enterprises  given  under  the  name  and  auspices  of  the 
Order, 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.          413 

Cleveland,  Ohio,  was  selected  as  the  place  of  kindling  the  next 
great  sun  council  fire. 

The  Committee  on  Diploma  made  a  report  and  presented  a 
design  for  an  Official  Diploma,  which  was  adopted. 

A  committee  of  three  was  appointed  to  revise  and  codify  the 
Constitution  and  Laws  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  including  the  laws 
governing  the  Beneficiary  Fund. 

A  feature  of  the  entertainment  of  the  chiefs  and  members 
at  this  council  was  a  grand  exemplification  of  the  work  of  the 
various  degrees  at  Mechanics'  Hall  under  the  direction  of  the 
Great  Council  of  Massachusetts,  with  the  Great  Council  of 
the  United  States  as  special  guests  and  in  the  presence  of  5000 
members  of  the  Order.  The  work  was  very  finely  rendered, 
the  various  degrees  being  exemplified  by  the  following  Tribes  :  — 

WINNEPURKET  TRIBE,  No.  55,  of  Lynn,  Adoption  Degree. 
KENNEPAUKENIT  TRIBE,  No.  58,  of  Natick,  Hunter's  Degree. 
WAPITI  TRIBE,  No.  65,  of  Boston,  Warrior's  Degree. 
AGAWAM  TRIBE,  No.  5,  of  Tapleyville,  Chiefs  Degree. 

The  Great  Council  adopted  very  complimentary  resolutions 
of  thanks  for  the  courtesies  extended  by  the  members  of  the 
Order  in  Massachusetts. 

The  laws  governing  the  Beneficiary  Fund  were  changed  so 
that  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  and  Great  Keeper  of  Wam- 
pum and  one  member  of  the  Fund,  who  shall  also  be  a  mem- 
ber of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  should  constitute  the  Board  of  Trustees. 

1891.  ' 

The  council  fire  -of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  kindled  at  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  on  the  8th  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  400,  Great  Incohonee 
Thomas  K.  Donnalley  presiding.  His  Honor  William  S.  Rose, 
mayor  of  the  city,  in  warm  and  cordial  words  welcomed  the 
members  and  their  ladies  to  the  city  of  Cleveland,  and  the 
remarks  of  welcome  to  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  were  responded  to  by 
Past  Great  Incohonee  Charles  H.  Litchman,  of  Massachusetts. 

O.  S.  Cheney,  Great  Sachem  of  Ohio,  delivered  an  address  of 
welcome  on  behalf  of  the  Order  in  the  State,  which  was  ap- 
propriately responded  to  by  Great  Incohonee  Donnalley. 

The  council  fire  was  then  formally  kindled, 


414  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN, 

The  Committee  on  Credentials  reported  that  credentials  had 
been  received  from  28  Great  Councils. 

The  Great  Incohonee  submitted  his  longtalk,  in  which  he 
reported  the  institution  of  the  Great  Council  of  South  Carolina 
at  Columbus  on  the  i/th  of  Beaver  moon,  G.  S.  D.  399 
(November  17,  1890). 

He  also  reported  the  institution  of  the  Great  Council  of 
Nebraska  at  Lincoln  on  the  9th  of  Buck  moon,  G.  S.  D.  400 
(July  9,  1891). 

He  had  granted  dispensations  for  two  additional  Tribes  in 
Washington,  and  another  Tribe  in  Oregon,  and  had  personally 
introduced  the  Order  into  the  Indian  Territory  by  the  institu- 
tion of  Choctaw  Tribe,  No.  i,  at  Hartshorne,  Gaines  County,  on 
the  9th  of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  400  (June  9,  1891). 

He  reported  action  taken  by  him  concerning  a  spurious 
organization  which  had  appropriated  a  part  of  the  name  of  the 
Order,  and  which  had  been  started  by  an  expelled  member  of 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

He  spoke  of  the  rapid  growth  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas. 

During  the  great  sun  he  had  met  with  members  of  the  Order 
in  21  reservations. 

He  expressed  regret  that  the  resolution  of  the  Great  Council 
in  G.  S.  D.  386  (1877),  f°r  tne  collection  and  preservation  of 
trophies  and  antiquities  of  the  Aborigines  of  America  had  not 
been  more  fully  carried  out,  and  he  urged  the  various  State 
Great  Councils  to  carry  out  the  spirit  of  this  resolution  while 
yet  such  trophies  and  antiquities  could  be  procured. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  submitted  an  exhaustive  report 
of  the  condition  of  the  Order  and  the  transactions  of  his  chief- 
taincy during  the  great  sun. 

Concerning  the  Beneficiary  Fund  he  said  it  was  gradually 
dying  out,  but  had  honestly  filled  its  obligations  to  the  widows 
and  orphans. 

From  the  statistical  abstract,  accompanying  his  report,  we 
glean  the  following  information :  Total  number  of  Great 
Councils,  29;  total  number  of  Tribes,  1244;  adopted,  22,954; 
reinstated,  963;  admitted  by  card,  901;  suspended,  11,921; 
rejected,  1064;  expelled,  157;  withdrawn  by  card,  1403;  died, 
857  ;  total  number  qf  members,  107,644  ;  Past  Great  Sachems, 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.          415 

325;  Past  Sachems,  13,258;  amount  expended  for  relief  of 
members,  248,547  fathoms  and  21  inches;  expended  for  relief 
of  widows  and  orphans,  6457  fathoms  and  70  inches  ;  expended 
for  burial  of  the  dead,  59,984  fathoms  and  92  inches  ;  expended 
for  other  purposes,  419,299  fathoms  and  61  inches  ;  total  Tribal 
receipts,  958,520  fathoms  and  46  inches  ;  Tribal  investments, 
866,564  fathoms  and  32  inches;  in  Tribal  wampum  belts, 
392,470  fathoms  and  22  inches. 

From  the  statistical  abstract,  accompanying  the  reports  from 
the  Councils  of  Pocahontas,  we  glean  the  following  information : 
Total  number  of  Councils,  194;  adopted,  4636;  admitted  by 
card,  84;  reinstated,  162;  suspended,  1367;  expelled,  18;  with- 
drawn by  card,  386 ;  deceased,  83  ;  rejected,  1 1 1  ;  Past  Chiefs, 
630;  total  number  of  members,  14,168;  expended  for  relief  of 
members,  4323  fathoms  and  92  inches  ;  expended  for  burial  of 
the  dead,  994  fathoms  and  80  inches  ;  Council  receipts,  41,769 
fathoms  and  49  inches  ;  invested  by  Councils,  29, 166  fathoms  and 
56  inches. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  also  reported  that,  in  accordance 
with  the  authority  given  at  the  last  great  sun  council,  the  Diploma 
of  the  Order  had  been  perfected  and  issued. 

From  the  longtalk  of  the  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  we  learn 
that  the  wampum  received  during  the  great  sun  was  16,812 
fathoms  and  84  inches.  The  Permanent  Fund  had  increased 
to  2474  fathoms  and  88  inches.  The  total  funds  of  the  G.  C. 
U.  S.  amounted  to  19,267  fathoms  and  24  inches. 

The  Special  Committee  on  History  of  the  Order  reported 
that  a  careful  collation  of  all  the  material  at  hand  had  been 
made,  abstracts  of  the  entire  records  of  the  Great  Council  pre- 
pared, and  the  foundation  laid  for  a  most  thorough  and  exhaus- 
tive history  of  the  Order.  This  matter  had  been  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  publisher,  by  the  committee,  and  it  was  hoped  that 
during  the  ensuing  great  sun  the  history  would  be  published. 

The  Committee  on  Revision  of  the  Laws  reported  a  thorough 
and  complete  revision  of  the  Constitution  and  Laws  governing 
the  Order,  together  with  a  code  of  procedure  to  govern  trials. 
This  report  was  considered  by  the  Great  Council,  amended  in 
various  parts,  and  finally  adopted  as  amended. 

Various  propositions  having  been  received  for  translating  the 


416  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

ritual,  the  Great  Council  voted  that  it  was  inexpedient  to  have 
the  ritual  translated  in  other  than  as  at  present,  the  German 
and  French  languages. 

A  very  pleasing  feature  of  the  gathering  at  this  council  was 
the  presentation  to  Past  Great  Sachem  M.  A.  Marks,  and  to  his 
wife  and  child,  on  behalf  of  the  members  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  of 
beautiful  testimonials,  as  tokens  of  appreciation  of  their  efforts 
to  make  pleasant  the  visit  of  the  Great  Council  to  Cleveland. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  as  expressive  of  the  sentiment  of 
the  Great  Council  towards  the  Chieftains'  League  in  its  present 
form. 

It  was  voted  that  the  next  great  sun  council  fire  be  kindled  in 
the  hunting  grounds  of  Atlanta,  Ga. 

The  Great  Council,  having  been  invited  to  participate  in  a 
jubilee  celebration  to  be  given  in  the  hunting  grounds  of  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.,  on  the  I2th,  I3th,  and  I4th  of  Travelling  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  400  (October  12,  13,  and  14,  1891),  the  Great  Council 
adopted  the  following  :  — 

The  undersigned,  members  of  the  committee  to  which  was  referred  the 
matter  of  the  contemplated  "  Jubilee  Celebration,"  in  the  hunting  grounds  of 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  on  the  i2th,  i3th,  and  i4th  of  Travelling  moon,  beg  leave 
to  report  as  follows :  — 

The  Great  Sun  of  Discovery,  that  within  which  Christopher  Columbus  dis- 
covered America,  is  entitled  to  appropriate  commemoration  by  all  who  dwell 
upon  the  land  which  he  made  known  to  the  world.  The  national  govern- 
ment and  the  various  States  will  join  in  a  World's  Fair,  as  a  proper  recogni- 
tion of  the  vast  importance  of  that  great  epoch  in  the  history  of  the  world,  and 
of  its  far-reaching  influences  on  the  destinies  of  mankind. 

When  Columbus  knelt  on  the  soil  of  the  newly  discovered  land,  and  re- 
turned thanks  to  the  God  of  his  faith  for  safe  deliverance  and  the  successful 
issue  of  his  voyage,  he  was  met  and  welcomed  by  a  strange  and  hitherto  un- 
known race,  peaceful,  and  in  their  way  industrious,  contented,  and  happy. 
They  owned  and  controlled  this  great  American  continent,  the  "  Original 
People "  of  our  land.  Upon  the  manners,  tradition,  and  customs  of  that 
race,  which  will  soon  be  known  only  in  tradition  and  history,  our  Order 
has  been  founded.  What  more  fitting,  then,  than  an  appropriate  observance 
by  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  of  that  great  historical  event  which  gave 
to  the  nations  of  the  earth  its  greatest  and  grandest  member?  We  feel  and 
believe  that  the  Great  Council  of  Pennsylvania  is  entitled  to  all  credit  and 
honor  for  its  prompt  recognition  of  the  importance  of  this  event,  and  as  the 
largest  of  our  great  reservations,  for  its  generosity  in  undertaking  the  respon- 
sible duty  of  observing  the  Great  Sun  of  Discovery  400,  in  a  manner  at  once 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF   UNITED  STATES.          417 

suitable  to  the  occasion  and  honorable  to  the  Order.  We  congratulate  the 
Tribes  of  that  jurisdiction  upon  the  opportunity  presented  to  them  to  make  in 
the  sight  of  the  palefaces  of  that  reservation  a  demonstration  that  cannot  fail, 
under  the  prudent  and  intelligent  management  selected,  to  win  the  favor  of 
the  paleface  nation,  and  to  gain  unbounded  honor  and  credit  to  themselves 
and  to  the  Order  at  large.  We  also  think  that  the  least  this  Great  Council 
should  do  is  to  be  represented  at  the  proposed  gathering,  to  the  end  that  the 
whole  Order  may  officially  recognize  an  event  of  such  great  importance.  We 
therefore  present  and  recommend  the  adoption  of  the  following  :  — 

Resolved,  That  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  sends  fraternal  greet- 
ing to  the  Order  in  Pennsylvania,  and  commends  its  energy  and  prudent  fore- 
thought in  arranging  for  an  appropriate  observance  of  Great  Sun  of  Discovery 
400,  a  movement  which,  successfully  conducted,  will  return  great  honor  to  our 
whole  Order. 

Resolved,  That  the  great  chiefs  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States, 
be  and  are  hereby  authorized  to  attend  said  commemorative  jubilee  as  the 
official  representatives  of  this  Great  Council,  and  of  the  Order  at  large. 

Resolved^  That  the  members  of  the  Order,  within  convenient  distance,  are 
fraternally  urged  to  cordially  and  earnestly  co-operate  with  the  management 
for  the  purpose  of  making  this  celebration  one  of  the  memorable  events  in  our 
Order,  and  one  that  shall  redound  to  the  honor  and  prosperity  of  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men. 

In  this  connection  it.  may  be  said  that  the  jubilee  was  held  as 
indicated,  and  passed  off  to  the  great  credit  of  the  Order  in  that 
reservation,  and  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  all  who  were  fortu- 
nate enough  to  participate. 

Charters  were  ordered  issued  to  the  Great  Councils  and  Tribes 
that  had  been  instituted  during  the  interim. 

While  the  report  of  the  Committee  on  Revision  of  the  Laws 
was  under  consideration,  a  motion  was  made  to  repeal  the  arti- 
cle establishing  a  Permanent  Fund.  The  matter  was  referred 
to  a  special  committee  to  report  a  law  devoting  the  fund  to  the 
building  of  a  home  for  widows  and  orphans  of  the  Order.  In 
accordance  with  this  the  law  was  reported  and  unanimously 
adopted,  which  appears  elsewhere  in  the  full  Constitution  as 
printed.  In  this  connection  and  for  the  purpose  of  bringing 
the  matter  to  the  attention  of  the  Order  in  a  proper  and  official 
manner,  the  Great  Council  unanimously  adopted  the  following :  — 

Unto  all  men  it  is  appointed  once  to  die.  It  is  proper  that  the  living 
should  in  a  fitting  manner  commemorate  the  virtues  of  the  dead  and  give 
proper  tribute  to  their  memory.  It  seems  right,  therefore,  that  our  Order 


41 8  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

perform  this  duty  by  setting  apart  one  sun  each  great  sun  upon  which  may  be 
observed  the  memory  of  the  dead.  For  this  purpose  be  it 

Resolved,  That  each  State  Great  Council  be,  and  is  hereby  urged  to  set 
apart  one  sun  in  each  great  sun,  at  such  time  as  local  climate  and  other  con- 
siderations may  suggest,  which  sun  shall  be  known  as  "  Donation  Day,"  upon 
which  the  members  of  the  Order,  through  their  respective  Tribes,  either  by 
strewing  flowers  upon  the  graves  of  departed  brothers,  holding  councils  of 
sorrow,  or  in  such  other  appropriate  manner  as  each  Tribe  may  determine, 
shall  honor  the  memory  of  their  dead. 

Resolved,  That  upon  Donation  Day  each  Tribe  be  requested  to  make  a 
donation,  either  by  appropriation  or  voluntary  contribution,  the  sum  so  col- 
lected to  be  forwarded  through  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  of  the  State  to  the 
Great  Chief  of  Records  of  the  United  States  for  investment  by  the  Trustees 
of  the  Permanent  Fund  for  the  Widows'  and  Orphans'  Home. 

Resolved,  That,  for  the  purpose  herein  mentioned,  Tribes  are  hereby  author- 
ized to  make  appropriations  from  their  wampum  belts. 

Resolved,  That  each  Great  Council,  and  in  the  interval  between  the  adop- 
tion of  these  resolutions  and  a  council  thereof,  the  Great  Chiefs  of  said 
Great  Council  shall  have  authority  to  adopt  and  promulgate  regulations  needed 
for  the  successful  conduct  of  the  objects  herein  contemplated. 


1  The  Committee  on  Beneficiary  having  reported  in  favor  of 
distributing  to  the  members  of  the  Fund  the  amount  on  hand  in 
the  general  and  reserve  funds,  the  Great  Incohonee  ruled  that 
the  Great  Council  had  no  power  to  take  away  the  vested  rights 
of  a  member  of  the  Fund,  and  that  the  dissolution  of  the  Associ- 
ation could  only  be  affected  by  the  members  themselves. 

The  Representatives  from  Georgia  extended  a  cordial  invita- 
tion to  the  members  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  to  bring  with  them  at 
the  next  great  sun  council  their  wives  and  daughters,  assuring 
them  that  the  citizens  of  Atlanta  and  the  Red  Men  of  Georgia 
would  spare  no  pains  nor  leave  anything  undone  to  make  their 
stay  a  pleasant  and  delightful  one  in  the  beautiful  Southland. 

The  Special  Committee  on  Revision  of  the  Laws  was  given 
permission  to  revise  the  Digest. 

Probably  no  council  of  the  Great  Council  in  recent  years  had 
been  of  such  great  importance  to  the  Order  as  that  held  at 
Cleveland.  In  the  revision  of  the  laws  submitted  and  amended 
by  the  Great  Council  and  then  adopted,  many  radical  changes 
were  made,  yet  all  inspired  by  a  desire  to  gain  for  the  Order  the 
best  possible  good.  The  rapid  growth  during  the  preceding 
great  sun  had  supplied  the  wampum  belt  of  the  Great  Council 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.          419 

with  funds  adequate  for  all  legitimate  purposes  of  the  Order. 
The  spirit  of  economy  was  manifested  in  a  desire  to  reduce  the 
amount  of  per  capita  tax  ;  but  after  a  full  consideration  of  the 
matter  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  continue  the  incorne  of 
the  G.  C.  U.  S.  at  the  old  rate,  in  order  that  the  growth  and 
prosperity  so  pleasing  to  all  may  not  be  retarded,  but  that 
ample  provision  may  be  made  for  still  greater  prosperity  in  the 
immediate  future. 

1892. 

The  Great  Council  assembled  in  the  Senate  Chamber  of  the 
State  Capitol  building,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  on  the  I3th  of  Corn  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  401. 

Addresses  of  welcome  were  delivered  by  Past  Great  Sachem 
R.  T.  Daniel ;  Hon.  F.  D.  Bradwell,  State  Commissioner  of 
Education ;  Hon.  M.  A.  Hemphill,  Mayor  of  the  city ;  and 
Y.  A.  Wright,  Great  Sachem. 

Responses  were  made  by  Great  Incohonee  Donnalley,  and 
other  Great  Chiefs  and  members  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

The  Great  Chiefs,  93  Representatives,  4  Past  Great  Inco- 
honees,  and  15  Past  Great  Sachems,  representing  30  State 
Great  Councils,  responded  to  roll-call. 

The  longtalk  of  the  Great  Incohonee  reported  the  institution 
of  2  Tribes  in  North  Carolina ;  2  in  Wyoming  ;  I  in  Utah  ;  3  in 
Washington  ;  and  6  in  Oregon. 

He  recommended  the  adoption  of  a  badge  for  veteran  Red 
Men,  to  be  worn  by  those  who  had  held  membership  for  21 
successive  great  suns  ;  and  the  selection  of  a  date  on  which  the 
members  of  the  Order  might  meet  at  the  World's  Fair,  to  make 
a  demonstration  in  honor  of  Discovery  Day  —  the  date  to  be 
designated  Red  Men's  Sun. 

He  reported  visits  to  many  reservations  and  suggested  in- 
creased appropriation  for  his  successors. 

He  also  reported  that  the  Beneficiary  Fund  membership  had 
become  reduced  to  72,  and  recommended  legislation  which  would 
close  its  affairs. 

He  commented  on  the  weakness  of  the  funeral  and  seven 
suns  benefit  system  of  the  Order,  and  suggested  that  radical 
changes  were  necessary  to  bring  the  dues  charged  and  benefits 
promised  into  scientific  relation  to  each  other. 


420  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

He  also  reeommended  the  appointment  of  one  or  more  great 
chiefs  to  exemplify  the  work  when  called  upon. 

The'longtalk  of  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  showed  that  349 
fathoms  15  inches  of  wampum  had  been  contributed  by  the 
Order  for  the  Permanent  Fund  for  the  Widows'  and  Orphans' 
Home.  The  Beneficiary  Fund  receipts  had  been  150  fathoms; 
expenditures,  126  fathoms.  The  summary  of  statistics  was  as 
follows :  Number  of  Great  Councils,  30 ;  Tribes,  1424 ; 
adopted,  28,619;  reinstated,  1125;  admitted  by  card,  1202; 
suspended,  13,407 ;  expelled,  172  ;  withdrawn,  1809;  died,  1136; 
present  membership,  122,314;  Tribal  receipts,  1,002,972  fathoms 
96  inches  ;  expended  for  relief  of  brothers,  298,091  fathoms  23 
inches  ;  relief  of  widows  and  orphans,  14,280  fathoms  19  inches  ; 
burial  of  dead,  73,073  fathoms  41  inches ;  other  expenditures, 
492,602  fathoms  59  inches ;  total  funds  of  Tribes,  invested  and 
in  wampum  belts,  1,220,576  fathoms  86  inches. 

Number  of  Councils,  Degree  of  Pocahontas,  241  ;  member- 
ship, 16,813;  adopted,  5040;  admitted  by  card,  88;  reinstated, 
221  ;  suspended,  1952  ;  expelled,  16;  withdrawn,  721  ;  died,  119; 
Council  receipts,  45,644  fathoms  68  inches  ;  expended  for  relief 
of  members,  8011  fathoms  89  inches;  burial  of  dead,  1400  fath- 
oms 20  inches;  other  expenditures,  24,021  fathoms  98  inches; 
invested  and  in  wampum  belts,  42,783  fathoms  54  inches. 

The  longtalk  of  the  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum  presented  a 
statement  of  assets  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  as  follows  :  Balance  for 
contingent  expenses,  18,479  fathoms  33  inches;  Permanent 
Fund,  3237  fathoms  2  inches;  Beneficiary  Fund,  1260  fathoms 
34  inches  ;  Yellow  Fever  Fund,  659  fathoms  59  inches. 

The  committee  to  collate  the  material  for  the  Official  History 
of  the  Order  was  continued  to  such  time  as  its  work  should  be 
completed. 

The  proposition  that  all  Tribal  work  should  be  transacted  in 
the  Chief's  Degree  was  ruled  out  of  order  as  not  properly  before 
the  Great  Council. 

A  motion  to  permit  adoption  of  candidates  under  21  great 
suns  of  age  was  defeated. 

A  motion  to  permit  the  wearing  of  a  badge  in  lieu  of  regalia 
in  Tribal  councils  was  defeated. 

An  amendment  to  the  Constitution  was  adopted  whereby  the 


GREAT  COUNCIL    OF  UNITED  STATES.          421 

Committee  on  Constitution  and  Laws  became  a  standing  com- 
mittee to  act  during  the  recesses  of  the  Great  Council. 

A  Badge  for  Veteran  Red  Men,  as  suggested  by  the  Great 
Incohonee,  was  adopted,  and  patented  for  the  exclusive  use  of 
the  G.  C.  U.  S.  An  engraving  of  the 
badge  is  herewith  presented. 

It  was  voted  that  the  next  great  sun 
council  fire  be  kindled  in  Des  Moines, 
Iowa. 

It  was  voted  to  be  unwise  and  impolitic 
to  translate  or  print  the  rituals  in  any  lan- 
guage other  than  those  in  which  they  are 
now  printed. 

Charters  were  granted  to  the  Tribes  in- 
stituted the  past  great  sun,  and  for  a  Great 
Council  to  be  instituted  in  Oregon. 

A  duplicate  charter  was  granted  to  the  Great  Council  of  Illi- 
nois to  replace  the  original,  lost  or  destroyed. 

The  Great  Incohonee  ruled  that  the  reservations  of  Minnesota, 
Wisconsin,  and  Ontario  had  reverted  to  the  control  of  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States. 

The  Committee  on  Revision  was  authorized  to  prepare  and 
have  printed  a  new  form  for  raising  up  chiefs ;  and  also  to  issue 
a  new  Digest  revised  to  date. 

The  same  committee  was  ordered  to  present  a  form  for  indoor 
use  at  funerals  of  members  of  the  Order. 

A  complete  revision  of  the  laws,  for  government  of  the  Degree 
of  Pocahontas,  and  of  Tribes"  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of 
the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was  adopted. 

A  special  committee  was  appointed  to  report  at  the  next 
great  sun  council  upon  the  subject  of  Dues  and  Benefits,  and 
to  present  a  plan  of  operations. 

It  was  voted  that  if  the  members  of  the  Beneficiary  Fund  will 
unanimously  consent,  the  same  shall  be  dissolved,  and  its  reserve 
funds  shall  be  equitably  distributed  to  its  members. 

The  Great  Incohonee  was  authorized  to  appoint  "  Exempli- 
fiers,"  to  instruct  the  Order  in  the  ritualistic  work. 

The  Committee  on  Revision  was  directed  to  revise  the  cere- 
mony for  dedication  of  wigwams. 


422 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 


The  chiefs  for  the  ensuing  term  were  elected  and  appointed, 
and  raised  up  as  follows  :  — 


Great  Incohonee, 

Great  Senior  Sagamore, 

Great  Junior  Sagamore, 

Great  Prophet, 

Great  Chief  of  Records, 

Great  Keeper  of  Wampum, 

Great  Tocakon, 

Great  Minewa, 

Great  Guard  of  Forest, 


THOMAS  E.  PECKINPAUGH,  P.  G.  S.,  Ohio. 
ANDREW  H.  PATON,  P.  G.  S.,         Massachusetts. 
ROBERT  T.  DANIEL,  P.  G.  S.,         Georgia. 

THOMAS  K.  DONNALLEY,  P.  G  I.,  Pennsylvania. 
CHARLES  C.  CONLEY,  P.  G.  I.,  Pennsylvania. 
JOSEPH  PYLE,  P.  G.  I.,  Delaware. 

JOSEPH  C.  SUIT,  P.  G.  S.,  Indiana. 

E.  D.  WILEY,  P.  G.  S.,   .  Iowa. 

GEORGE  T.  FOWLER,  P.  G.  S.,        Maryland. 


With  the  record  thus  presented  of  the  council  held  at  Atlanta, 
ends  the  written  record  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  down  to  the  latest 
date  previous  to  the  publication  of  this  History.  It  leaves  the 
Order  in  the  full  tide  of  prosperity,  with  the  probability  that  the 
reports  to  be  received  for  the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30,  1893, 
will  reach  fully  140,00x3  members.  The  condition  of  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States  was  never  as  good,  there  is  ample 
wampum  for  all  the  legitimate  uses,  the  Order  is  stronger  than 
ever  in  its  history,  and  the  future  looks  bright  and  prosperous 
for  still  larger  additions  in  membership,  and  far  wider  influence 
and  prosperity. 


THOMAS   E.   PECKINPAUGH,   GREAT   INCOHONEE. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

STATE    GREAT    COUNCILS    AND    TRIBES. 

THE  complete  history  of  each  State  reservation,  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  would 
be  largely  a  volume  of  repetitions  of  experiences  ;  covering,  of 
course,  periods  which  vary  in  length,  and  results  which  differ 
in  measure  ;  but  nearly  all  having  the  same  general  character- 
istics. The  original  Great  Councils  have  made  almost  uninter- 
rupted progress  numerically,  financially,  in  social  influence, 
and  in  all  that  give  stability  and  popularity  to  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men.  The  great  majority  of  those  admitted 
later  have  likewise  prospered  and  continued.  A  few  have 
struggled  for  a  time  in  vain  or  misdirected  effort.  Some  have 
begun  anew  and  built  success  over  the  ashes  of  preceding 
failure.  Out  of  the  33  States  in  which  Great  Council  fires  have 
been  kindled  since  the  beginning,  30  have  at  this  time  Great 
Council  fires  burning  brightly ;  dispensation  has  been  granted 
for  another;  and  in  several  States  and  Territories,  Tribes  are 
flourishing  with  prospects  of  early  applications  from  some  of 
them  for  Great  Council  charters. 

The  record  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  covers 
the  legislative  action  which  governed  all,  and  suggests  the 
trail  over  which  all  have  journeyed.  This  chapter,  therefore, 
deals  only  with  the  brief  statistical  outlines  of  State  beginnings 
and  present  conditions. 

Maryland.  —  This  was  the  first  Great  Council  instituted  ;  the 
date  being  2Oth  of  Flower  moon,  G.  S.  5595  (May  20,  1835). 
On  the  I4th  of  Worm  moon,  G.  S.  5598,  it  became  an  incor- 
porated body  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Maryland,  and 
claimed,  and,  as-  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland,  exercised, 
supreme  authority  over  the  Order  until  the  organization  of 
the  Grand  Council  of  the  United  States  in  G.  S.  5607  (1847). 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

423 


424  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Number  of  Tribes      .....  54 

Membership 4>n° 

Past  Sachems 792 

Past  Great  Sachems 25 

Past  Great  Incohonees    ....  3 

Wampum  invested 75>68g  fathoms  57  inches. 

Wampum  in  belts 7>923  fathoms  78  inches. 

Total  funds 67,765  fathoms  79  inches. 

Pennsylvania.  —  This  is  the  second  reservation  into  which 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  was  introduced  ;  it  being  a 
fact  of  record  that  John  F.  Weishampel,  of  Logan  Tribe,  No.  i, 
of  Baltimore,  having  been  authorized  so  to  do  in  G.  S.  5599 
(1839),  instituted  Tammany  Tribe,  No.  I,  of  Shippensburg, 
Pa.,  probably  in  the  same  grand  sun.  There  is  no  further 
record  of  the  existence  of  this  Tribe,  except  a  reference  to  it 
in  the  Maryland  records  in  5602  (1842),  and  the  inference  is 
that  its  life  was  of  very  brief  duration.  The  Order  in  the 
reservation  was  revived  on  the  I4th  of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  5607 
(1847),  by  the  institution  of  Tecumseh  Tribe,  No.  I,  at  Norris- 
town.  The  next  grand  sun,  Metamora  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  Lan- 
caster;  Leni  Lenape  Tribe,  No.  3,  Kuquenaku  Tribe,  No.  4, 
and  Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  5,  of  Philadelphia,  were  instituted. 
In  G.  S.  5609  (1849),  Mohegan  Tribe,  of  Waynesboro,  was 
instituted.  On  the  petition  of  Tecumseh,  Leni  Lenape,  Kuque- 
naku, and  Pocahontas  Tribes,  a  charter  was  granted  by  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  in  Plant  moon,  G.  S.  5609, 
and  on  the  23d  of  Flower  moon,  the  Great  Council  of  Pennsyl- 
vania was  instituted,  being  the  fourth  in  numerical  order.  The 
reservation  soon  took  first  rank  in  number  of  members,  and  has 
continued  to  maintain  the  lead. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 317 

Membership      .......  30.495 

Past  Sachems 4,982 

Past  Great  Sachems 25 

Past  Great  Incohonees    ....  3 

Wampum  invested 401,454  fathoms  61  inches. 

Wampum  in  belts 37,86o  fathoms  75  inches. 

Total  funds 439>3I5  fathoms  36  inches. 


STATE    GREAT  COUNCILS  AND   TRIBES.         425 

Virginia.  —  This  is  the  third  reservation  into  which  the 
Order  was  introduced,  Brother  Weishampel  having  instituted 
Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  i,  at  Wheeling,  in  grand  sun  5599. 
There  is  no  further  record  of  this  Tribe,  except  the  fact  that 
a  member  of  it  was  authorized  the  next  grand  sun  to  institute 
Natchez  Tribe,  No.  I,  Mississippi.  In  grand  sun  5605  (1845), 
Osceola  Tribe,  No.  2,  was  instituted  at  Alexandria,  and  later 
placed  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  District  of 
Columbia,  which  became  No.  I,  of  Virginia,  when  the  Great 
Council  fire  of  that  State  was  kindled.  Shawnee  Tribe,  No.  5, 
of  Winchester,  was  instituted  in  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  5606 
(1846),  and  soon  after  Mohawk  Tribe,  No.  6,  was  instituted, 
both,  by  and  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 
District  of  Columbia.  These  Tribes  became  respectively  Nos. 
2  and  3  of  the  Great  Council  of  Virginia.  The  Great  Council 
of  Virginia  was  the  first  instituted  by  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States,  and  was  the  third  Great  Council  in  numerical 
order.  Its  first  council  fire  was  kindled  in  Buck  moon,  5607 
(1847).  The  three  Tribes  to  whom  the  charter  Was  issued 
were  Osceola,  No.  i  ;  Shawnee,  No.  2  ;  and  Mohawk,  No.  3. 
The  Great  Council  was  not  represented  in  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 
during  the  period  5621  to  5624  inclusive,  but  was  reorganized 
and  again  admitted  in  G.  S.  5625  (1865). 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 47 

Membership 2,678 

Past  Sachems 440 

Past  Great  Sachems 10 

Wampum  invested 1,066  fathoms  96  inches. 

Wampum  in  belts I7>111  fathoms  86  inches. 

Total  funds 18,178  fathoms  82  inches. 

Mississippi.  —  The  records  of  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland 
show  that  Brother  Pailey  Sharp,  of  Wheeling,  Va.,  was  com- 
missioned in  Corn*  moon,  G.  S.  5600  (1840),  to  institute  Natchez 
Tribe,  No.  i,  at  Vicksburg,  Miss.  This  would  make  that 
reservation  the  fourth  in  which  the  Order  was  planted.  There 
is  no  further  record  of  this  Tribe,  nor  is  the  reservation  men- 
tioned again  until  G.  S.  5619,  at  which  time  we  learn  that  a 


426  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Tribe,  of  the  same  name  and  number,  had  been  instituted  dur- 
ing the  preceding  grand  sun  at  Natchez,  but  the  fact  had  not 
been  mentioned  at  the  previous  grand  sun  council.  Tahle- 
quah  Tribe,  No.  2,  and  Choctaw,  No.  3,  were  instituted  in 
G.  S.  D.  379.  Tishomingo  Tribe,  No.  4,  was  instituted  at 
Corinth,  on  the  7th  of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  381.  In  G.  S.  D. 
382,  four  Tribes  were  instituted  —  luka,  No.  5,  of  luka,  Minne- 
haha,  No.  6,  of  Kossuth,  Chickasaw,  No.  7,  of  Rienzi,  and 
Osceola,  No.  8,  of  Burnsville.  Red  Cloud  Tribe,  No.  9,  was 
instituted  at  Chapel  Hill  Meeting-House,  on  the  roth  of  Snow 
moon,  G.  S.  D.  383.  The  council  fire  of  Mohawk  Tribe, 
No.  10,  was  kindled  at  Pittsboro,  in  Flower  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
384;  and  in  the  same  great  sun,  Hiawatha  Tribe,  No.  n,  was 
instituted  at  Coffeeville.  Choctaw,  Tishomingo,  and  Chicka- 
saw Tribes  became  extinct  this  great  sun.  At  the  Great  Sun 
Council  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  in  G.  S.  D.  387,  all  the  Tribes  were 
reported  as  extinct,  because  of  a  combination  of  circumstances, 
the  sickness  of  the  Vice  Great  Incohonee  in  charge,  and  the 
disorganized  political  conditions.  No  attempt  has  since  been 
made  to  establish  the  Order  in  Mississippi. 

Louisiana. — This  appears  to  be  the  fifth  reservation  into 
which  the  Order  was  introduced.  .Brother  Pailey  Sharp,  who 
had  been,  nearly  three  grand  suns  before,  commissioned  to 
kindle  the  council  fire  of  Natchez  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Mississippi, 
with  five  others,  petitioned  in  Worm  moon,  G.  S.  5603  (1843), 
for  a  charter  to  institute  Mohican  Tribe,  No.  I,  of  Bayou  Sara, 
La.  The  charter  was  granted  by  the  Great  Council  of  Mary- 
land. This  Tribe,  if  instituted,  appears  to  have  failed  of  con- 
tinuance, there  being  no  further  record  of  it.  In  13  grand 
suns  from  the  time  Brother  Sharp  and  others  petitioned  for 
Mohican  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Bayou  Sara,  Osyka  Tribe,  No.  I,  was 
instituted  at  New  Orleans.  During  the  following  grand  suns, 
the  Order  prospered,  and  a  preliminary  organization  of  a  great 
council  was  effected  in  Snow  moon,  G.  S.  5620  (1860).  The 
civil  war  which  soon  followed  seems  to  have  prevented  the 
formal  institution  of  the  Great  Council,  and  to  have  caused 
the  disbandment  of  all  its  Tribes  except  Osyka,  No.  i,  and  for 
a  time  the  Order  was  dormant  in  this  State.  Tecumseh  Tribe, 
No.  4,  of  Baton  Rouge,  was  instituted  in  G.  S.  5625  (1865),  and 


STATE    GREAT  COUNCILS  AND   TRIBES,         427 

the  Order  in  Louisiana  began  again  to  increase.  Narragansett 
Tribe,  No.  5,  was  instituted  at  New  Orleans  in  G.  S.  D.  376. 
Another  Tribe  was  instituted  in  G.  S.  D.  377,  but  its  council 
fire  was  allowed  to  go  out..  Tribes  Nos.  6  and  7  were  instituted 
in  G.  S.  D.  378.  All  these  except  Osyka  Tribe,  No.  i,  and 
Osceola  Tribe,  No.  7,  soon  became  extinct ;  but  in  G.  S.  D.  380, 
Tunica  Tribe,  No.  8,  of  Shreveport,  was  instituted.  On  account 
of  the  yellow-fever  epidemic  in  G.  S.  D.  384,  all  but  Osyka 
Tribe,  No.  i,  became  extinct.  In  G.  S.  D.  388,  the  council  fire 
of  Osceola  Tribe  was  rekindled.  Tuscarora  Tribe,  No.  9,  was 
instituted  in  G.  S.  D.  390.  On  the  3d  of  Cold  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
391,  Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  10,  was  instituted  at  New  Orleans. 

The  Great  Council  fire  of  Louisiana  was  rekindled  on  the 
3Oth  of  Cold  moon,  G.  S.  D.  391.  The  hunting  grounds  of 
Texas  and  Arkansas  are  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great 
Council  of  Louisiana. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  of  this  reservation  on  the  3Oth 
of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 8 

Membership 417 

Past  Sachems 88 

Past  Great  Sachems 8 

Wampum  invested 1,020  fathoms. 

Wampum  in  belt        .....  2,303  fathoms  2  inches. 

Total  funds 3>323  fathoms  2  inches. 

District  of  Columbia.  —  The  first  Tribe  to  be  instituted  in 
this  reservation  was  Powhatan  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Washington. 
Its  council  fire  was  kindled  in  Cold  moon,  G.  S.  5605  (1845),  by 
Past  Great  Sachem  Louis  Bonsai  and  Past  Sachem  John  L. 
Booker,  of  Maryland.  Anacostia  Tribe,  No.  3,  of  Washington, 
was  instituted  soon  after.  On  the  petition  of  these  two  Tribes 
and  Osceola  Tribe  of  Alexandria,  Va.,  the  Great  Council  of  the 
District  of  Columbia  was  instituted  on  the  4th  of  Beaver  moon, 
G.  S.  5605.  This  Great  Council  was  subordinate  to  the  Great 
Council  of  Maryland,  and  was  required  to  obtain  its  permission 
to  institute  Tribes  in  Virginia.  The  Order  grew  very  rapidly 
in  this  reservation  at  this  time,  and  the  Great  Council  of  Vir- 
ginia was  an  early  result  of  its  efforts.  In  G.  S.  5619  (1859), 
the  Great  Council  fire  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  by  reason  of 


428  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

internal  dissensions  became  extinct,   but  it  was  rekindled  in 
G.  S.  5624  (1864),  and  has  burned  continuously  from  that  date. 
The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 6 

Membership 300 

Past  Sachems 70 

Past  Great  Sachems 10 

Wampum  invested 366  fathoms  55  inches. 

Wampum  in  belts 1,108  fathoms  54  inches. 

Total  funds !>475  fathoms     9  inches. 

Delaware.  —  Delaware  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Wilmington,  was  in- 
stituted on  the  3 1st  of  Hunting  moon,  G.  S.  5607  (1847). 
Osceola  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  Delaware  City,  was  instituted  on  the 
24th  of  Hunting  moon,  G.  S.  5612  (1852)  ;  Keokuk  Tribe, 
No.  3,  of  Wilmington,  on  the  i5th  of  Beaver  moon,  G.  S.  5613 
(1853);  and  Cherokee,  No.  4,  of  Wilmington,  on  the  loth  of 
Beaver  moon,  G.  S.  5616  (1856).  The  Great  Council  fire  was 
kindled  on  the  iQth  of  Beaver  moon,  G.  S.  5616,  by  Joseph  Pyle, 
Vice  Great  Incohonee.  It  has  had  continuous  and  successful 
existence. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 28 

Membership 2>536 

Past  Sachems 442 

Past  Great  Sachems 20 

Past  Great  Incohonees    ....  i 

Wampum  invested 20,721  fathoms  73  inches. 

WTampum  in  belts 4>755  fathoms  46  inches. 

Total  funds 25,477  fathoms  19  inches. 

New  York.  —  The  first  four  Tribes  in  this  reservation  were 
all  instituted  in  Sturgeon  moon,  G.  S.  5608  (1848),  the  four 
council  fires  being  kindled  on  the  same  sun  by  W.  G.  S.  Inco- 
honee Latham  in  person.  Many  of  the  petitioners  were  up  to 
date  associated  as  Tribes  of  the  "Order  of  Red  Men,"  without 
being  aware  of  the  existence  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 
These  Tribes  were  Oneida,  No.  i,  Osceola,  No.  2,  and  Oneactah, 
No.  4,  of  New  York  City,  and  Metamora,  No.  3,  of  Brooklyn. 


STATE    GREAT  COUNCILS  AND   TRIBES.         429 

In  Travelling  moon,  G.  S.  5610  (1850),  the  Great  Council  was 
instituted.  The  Great  Council  was  declared  defunct  in  G.  S. 
5611  (1851),  when  but  one  Tribe  remained.  Two  grand  suns 
later  this  Tribe  also  went  out  of  existence. 

The  Order  was  revived  in  New  York  by  the  institution  of 
Metamora  Tribe,  on  the  ist  of  Beaver  moon,  G.  S.  5614  (1854) ; 
but  was  again  reported  extinct  in  G.  S.  5617  (1857). 

A  third  and  successful  attempt  to  plant  the  Order  in  this 
State  was  made  in  G.  S.  D.  380,  when  Mohawk  Tribe,  No.  I, 
and  Cherokee  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  New  York  City  were  instituted. 
Montauk  Tribe,  No.  3,  of  Williamsburg  ;  Wyoming,  No.  4,  Men- 
dota,  No.  5,  Metamora,  No.  6,  Manhattan,  No.  7,  and  Tecumseh, 
No.  8,  all  of  New  York  City,  and  Mineola,  No.  9,  of  Brooklyn,  fol- 
lowed in  rapid  succession,  and  were  all  reported  to  the  great  sun 
council  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  in  G.  S.  D.  381.  On  the  igth  sun, 
Sturgeon  moon,  G.  S.  D.  381,  the  Great  Council  fire  was  kindled, 
and  from  that  time  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  has  increased 
and  prospered  in  New  York.  The  reservation  of  Ontario  was  at 
one  time  under  the  jurisdiction  of  this  Great  Council. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 160 

Membership 11,110 

Past  Sachems i>Q3° 

Past  Great  Sachems  .....  1 8 

Wampum  invested 187,920  fathoms     I  inch. 

Wampum  in  belt 25>734  fathoms  70  inches. 

Total  funds 213,654  fathoms  71  inches. 

New  Jersey.  — The  first  Tribe  instituted  in  New  Jersey  was 
Arreseoah,  No.  i,  at  Newark,  in  Worm  moon,  G.  S.  5610  (1850). 
Leni  Lenape  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  Camden,  was  instituted  soon  after. 
Then  followed  Red  Bird  Tribe,  No.  3,  of  Newark,  and  Chema- 
nitou,  No.  4,  and  Moax,  No.  5,  of  Trenton.  The  records  of  the 
G.  C.  U.  S.  relate  that  the  Great  Council  fire  was  kindled  first 
in  Travelling  moon,  G.  S.  5611  (1851),  and  that,  because  of  a  mis- 
understanding which  prevented  the  co-operation  of  Leni  Lenape 
Tribe  at  this  date,  a  reorganization  and  reinstitution  were  effected 
on  the  26th  of  Hunting  moon,  G.  S.  561 1.  On  the  other  hand, 
it  is  indicated  by  the  records  of  the  Great  Council  of  New  Jersey, 


430  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

that  the  date  of  institution  of  the  Great  Council  was  on  the  26th 
of  Hunting  moon,  G.  S.  5610  (1850).  The  Order  grew  slowly 
in  this  reservation,  and  at  the  end  of  30  great  suns  had  only 
reached  2100  members.  From  that  number,  however,  the 
advance  has  been  very  rapid,  and  to-day  New  Jersey  is  second 
among  Great  Councils  in  number  of  members. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 143 

Membership 157644 

Past  Sachems ^598 

Past  Great  Sachems 20 

Past  Great  Incohonees    ....  2 

Wampum  invested 187,920  fathoms     I  inch. 

Wampum  in  belts 25>734  fathoms  70  inches. 

Total  funds 213,654  fathoms  71  inches. 

Ohio.  —  The  first  two  Tribes  in  this  reservation  were  Miami, 
No.  i,  of  Cincinnati,  and  Tecumseh,  No.  2,  of  Springfield,  both 
instituted  in  G.  S.  5611  (1851).  Algonquin  Tribe,  No.  3,  of 
Columbus,  was  instituted  the  following  grand  sun.  Great  Coun- 
cil charter  was  granted  for  Ohio,  in  G.  S.  56.12  (1852).  Ohio 
thus  became  the  pioneer  Great  Council  of  the  West,  and  has 
grown  and  flourished,  until  now  it  is  among  the  strong  jurisdic- 
tions of  the  Order.  The  hunting  grounds  of  Kentucky  are 
included  in  the  Great  Council  reservation. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 75 

Membership 5,ll7 

Past  Sachems 793 

Past  Great  Sachems 20 

Wampum  invested 30,290  fathoms  51  inches. 

Wampum  in  belts       .....  17,405  fathoms  82  inches. 

Total  funds 47>6g6  fathoms  33  inches. 

North  Carolina.  —  John  L.  Booker,  Great  Chief  of  Records 
of  the  United  States,  kindled  the  council  fire  of  the  first  Tribe 
in  this  reservation  on  the  Qth  of  Travelling  moon,  G.  S.  5613 
(1853).  This  Tribe  was  Osceola,  No.  I,  of  Fayetteville,  which 
lived  only  one  grand  sun.  Between  G.  S.  5613  and  G.  S.  5618 
(1858),  a  second  Tribe  was  probably  instituted  and  went  out  of 


STATE    GREAT   COUNCILS  AND   TRIBES.         431 

existence;  because  the  Order  is  reported  as  "revived"  in  that 
State  in  G.  S.  5618  by  the  institution  of  Weccamaw  Tribe, 
No.  3,  at  Wilmington.  Again,  however,  the  council  fires  failed 
to  burn,  and  in  G.  S.  5620  (1860)  the  Order  was  declared  ex- 
tinct in  North  Carolina.  Wyoming  Tribe,  No.  4,  was  insti- 
tuted at  Wilmington  on  the  28th  of  Buck  moon,  G.  S.  D.  382. 
The  next  Tribe  was  Black  Hawk  Tribe,  No.  5,  of  Wilmington, 
instituted  on  the  ist  of  Flower  moon,  G.  S.  D.  383.  In  G.  S.  D. 
384,  three  tribes  were  instituted  —  Pee  Dee,  No.  6,  at  Laurin- 
burg,  Pocahontas,  No.  7,  at  Brooklyn,  and  Matchepungo,  No.  8, 
at  Fayetteville.  The  council  fires  of  all  except  Wyoming  Tribe, 
No.  4,  were  reported  quenched  in  G.  S.  D.  387.  Wyoming 
Tribe  surrendered  in  G.  S.  D.  391,  but  in  that  great  sun  two 
other  Tribes  were  instituted  —  Matchepungo,  No.  8,  revived  at 
Fayetteville,  and  Cherokee,  No.  9,  of  Wilmington.  On  the  2ist 
of  Sturgeon  moon,  G.  S.  D.  397,  the  council  fire  of  Osceola 
Tribe,  No.  i,  was  relighted  at  Raleigh.  Matchepungo  Tribe, 
No.  8,  had,  in  the  meantime,  again  disbanded.  In  the  follow- 
ing great  sun,  Chippewa  Tribe,  No.  2,  was  instituted  at  South 
Mills.  Junaluska  Tribe,  No.  3,  of  Asheville,  and  Sapona  Tribe, 
No.  4,  of  Greensboro,  were  instituted  in  Plant  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
399.  Eyota  Tribe,  No.  5,  of  Wilmington,  was  instituted  in 
Cold  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  and  soon  after,  the  council  fire  of 
Narragansett  Tribe,  No.  6,  was  lighted  at  Old  Trap.  The 
Tribes  reported  in  good  standing  on  the  3oth  of  Hot  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  401,  were  Chippewa,  No.  2,  Eyota,  No.  5,  Narragan- 
sett, No.  6,  and  Cherokee,  No.  9. 

Kentucky.  —  Chickasaw  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Newport,  and  Black 
Hawk,  No.  2,  of  Covington,  were  both  instituted  in  G.  S. 
5612  (1852).  Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  3,  of  Newport,  and  Ken- 
tucky, No.  4,  of  Louisville,  were  instituted  in  the  following 
grand  sun.  The  Great  Council  fire  was  lighted  on  the  9th  of 
Sturgeon  moon,  G.  S.  5614  (1854).  The  Order  in  Kentucky 
flourished  many  great  suns,  but  finally  began  to  lose  interest 
and  membership,  and  was  not  represented  in  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 
after  G.  S.  D.  389.  In  G.  S.  D.  395,  but  one  Tribe  was  reported 
in  the  State  —  Miami,  No.  17,  of  Newport.  The  Great  Council 
fire  had  long  before  ceased  to  burn.  In  G.  S.  D.  397,  Kentucky 
was  placed  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  Ohio, 


432  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

and  the  standing  of  its  Tribes  on  the  3Oth  of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
401,  is  included  in  the  statement  given  for  that  reservation. 
During  its  existence  as  a  Great  Council,  Kentucky  furnished 
two  Great  Incohonees  to  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 

Indiana.  —  The  Order  had  a  brief  existence  in  this  reservation 
from  Snow  moon,  G.  S.  5614  (1854),  to  G.  S.  5617  (1857).  In 
Snow  moon,  G.  S.  5614,  the  council  fire  of  Seneca  Tribe,  No.  I, 
was  kindled  at  Metamora.  Between  that  time  and  Flower 
moon,  G.  S.  5615  (1855),  f°ur  Tribes  were  instituted  at  Laurel, 
Terre  Haute,  Edinburg,  and  Franklin.  A  Great  Council  was 
instituted  on  the  nth  of  Flower  moon  ;  but  in  two  grand  suns 
the  Tribes  all  ceased  to  work,  and  the  Great  Council  surren- 
dered its  charter.  In  G.  S.  5619  (1859),  the  Order  was  resus- 
citated in  the  jurisdiction  by  the  rekindling  of  the  council  fire 
of  Cherokee  Tribe,  No.  4,  of  Edinburg,  and  the  institution  of 
Comanche  Tribe,  No.  7,  of  Aurora,  and  Wyandotte  Tribe,  No. 
8,  of  Richmond.  In  less  than  three  grand  suns,  the  Order  had 
again  lapsed  in  Indiana.  A  third  attempt  to  establish  the 
Order  in  this  State  was  made  in  G.  S.  D.  375,  when  Tippecanoe 
Tribe,  No.  8,  of  Patriot,  was  instituted.  In  the  next  great  sun, 
Iroquois  Tribe,  No.  9,  was  instituted  at  Brookville.  In  G.  S.  D. 

377,  Wabash  Tribe,    No.    10,   of    Lafayette,    and    Kanahwaga, 
No.   n,  of  Attica,  were  instituted,  and  Wyandotte,  No.  8,  of 
Richmond,   was  resuscitated.      This  gave  the  Order  its  third 
and  successful  start,  and  on  the  igth  of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D. 

378,  its  Great  Council  fire  was  rekindled. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 103 

Membership 8.632 

Past  Sachems 635 

Past  Great  Sachems 19 

Past  Great  Incohonees    ....  i 

Wampum  invested 48,508  fathoms  21  inches. 

Wampum  in  belts 20,087  fathoms  19  inches. 

Total  funds 68,595  fathoms  40  inches. 

Illinois.  —  The  Improved. Order  of  Red  Men  was  introduced 
into  Illinois  by  the  institution  of  Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  I,  at 
Paris,  on  the  ist  of  Worm  moon,  G.  S.  5614  (1854).  This  Tribe 


STATE    GREAT  COUNCILS  AND    TRIBES.         433 

soon  ceased  to  exist,  and  the  Order  here  was  not  revived  until 
G.  S.  5620  (1860),  when  a  Tribe  was  instituted  at  Nashville. 
The  Nashville  Tribe  soon  disbanded,  however,  and  no  effort  to 
introduce  the  Order  into  the  State  again  succeeded  until  G.  S.  D. 
378,  when  Seminole  Tribe,  No.  3,  of  Mason,  was  instituted. 
Somonauk  Tribe,  No.  4,  was  instituted  at  Chicago,  in  Hunting 
moon,  G.  S.-D.  381,  and  Modoc  Tribe,  No.  5,  was  instituted  at 
Effingham  on  the  3d  of  Plant  moon,  G.  S.  D.  382.  The  coun- 
cil fire  of  Seminole  Tribe  had  been  quenched  in  the  meantime. 
Shawnee  Tribe,  No.  6,  was  instituted  at  Quincy  on  the  24th  of 
Beaver  moon,  G.  S.  D.  383  ;  and  on  the  gth  of  Plant  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  384,  Pawnee  Tribe,  No.  7,  was  instituted  at  Mattoon. 
In  Snow  moon,  G.  S.  D.  385,  Chickasaw  Tribe,  No.  8,  was 
instituted  at  Neoga  ;  and  in  Flower  moon,  Potawatamie  Tribe, 
No.  9,  was  instituted  at  Oakland  City.  Four  tribes  were  added 
in  the  next  two  great  suns,  and  on  the  i3th  of  Hot  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  387,  the  Great  Council  fire  was  kindled.  The  hunting 
grounds  of  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota  are  both  within  the  juris- 
diction of  the  Great  Council  of  Illinois. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  this  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 44 

Membership 2,'i7o 

Past  Sachems 283 

Past  Great  Sachems 7 

Wampum  invested 5>7!6  fathoms  97  inches. 

Wampum 'in  belts 5>373  fathoms  73  inches. 

Total  funds 11,090  fathoms  70  inches. 

Iowa.  —  The  stay  of  the  Order  in  Iowa  at  its  first  appearance 
was  of  very  short  duration.  Camanche  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Du- 
buque,  was  instituted  on  the  5th  of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  5614 
(1854),  and  was  reported  at  the  next  grand  sun  council  of  the 
United  States  as  having  surrendered  its  charter.  Saux  Tribe, 
No.  2,  of  Des  Moines,  was  instituted  on  the  2Oth  of  Corn  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  381.  Black  Hawk  Tribe,  No.  3,  was  instituted  on  the 
i6th  of  Travelling  moon,  G.  S.  D.  382,  but  surrendered  its 
charter  within  a  few  great  suns.  Iowa  Tribe,  No.  4,  was  insti- 
tuted at  Oskaloosa  on  the  22d  of  Snow  moon,  G.  S.  D.  392. 
During  the  next  great  sun  Osceola  Tribe,  No.  5,  was  instituted 


434  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

at  Davenport  in  Plant  moon,  and  Wapello  Tribe,  No.  6,  at 
Cleveland,  on  the  28th  of  Hot  moon. 

The  Great  Council  fire  of  Iowa  was  kindled  on  the  i8th  of 
Hunting  moon,  G.  S.  D.  393.  The  reservation  of  Nebraska 
was  placed  under  the  jurisdiction  of  Iowa,  and  by  its  well- 
directed  and  energetic  efforts  several  Tribal  council  fires  were 
soon  kindled,  and  a  Great  Council  instituted  in  that  State. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  this  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 33 

Membership i>48i 

Past  Sachems 137 

Past  Great  Sachems 7 

Wampum  invested 560  fathoms  45  inches. 

Wampum  in  belt 3,689  fathoms  71  inches. 

Total  funds 4>25o  fathoms  16  inches. 

Missouri.  —  The  first  appearance  by  the  order  in  Missouri  was 
in  G.  S.  5616  (1856),  when  Hiawatha  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  St.  Louis 
was  instituted.  Minnehaha  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  St.  Louis,  was  insti- 
tuted during  the  same  grand  sun.  Tribe  No.  2  soon  quenched 
its  council  fire,  which  was  relighted  in  G.  S.  5618  (1858). 
No  record  of  the  institution  of  Tribe  No.  3  appears,  but 
Cherokee  Tribe,  No.  4,  was  instituted  in  G.  S.  5618,  and  a 
Great  Council  was  informally  instituted  on  the  i8th  of  Hunting 
moon,  G.  S.  5618.  At  the  grand  sun  council  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 
succeeding,  a  charter  was  granted  for  the  Great  Council  of  Mis- 
souri, notwithstanding  the  informality  of  its  organization  and 
institution.  The  Great  Council  lapsed  soon  afterward  ;  but  in 
G.  S.  D.  373  was  reorganized.  Again  the  Great  Council  of 
Missouri  disbanded,  but  its  council  fire  was  kindled  for  the 
third  time  on  the  24th  of  Snow  moon,  G.  S.  D.  375,  and  it  has 
continued  to  date  without  further  disaster. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  is  as  follows :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 8 

Membership 298 

Past  Sachems 74 

Past  Great  Sachems 12 

Wampum  invested 9^57  fathoms     8  inches. 

Wampum  in  belts l?93l  fathoms  76  inches. 

Total  funds n, 088  fathoms  84  inches. 


STATE    GREAT  COUNCILS  AND   TRIBES.         435 

Connecticut.  —  The  Order  failed  of  continuance  in  this  reser- 
vation from  its  first  appearance,  which  was  by  the  institution  of 
Narragansett  Tribe,  No.  i,  at  Hartford,  on  the  iQth  of  Buck 
moon,  G.  S.  5618  (1858).  In  G.  S.  5621  (1861)  this  Tribe  was 
reported  to  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  as  extinct. 

The  second  introduction  of  the  Order  here  was  in  G.  S.  D. 
395.  The  reservation  of  Connecticut  had  been  placed  within 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  Massachusetts;  an$  by 
the  efforts  of  its  great  chiefs  Hammonassett  Tribe,  No.  I,  was 
instituted  at  New  Haven  on  the  ist  of  Beaver  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
395.  In  a  few  seven  suns  the  Tribe  had  more  than  500  mem- 
bers ;  and  enthusiasm  for  the  Order  spread  so  rapidly,  that  in 
less  than  ten  moons,  nine  large  Tribes  were  flourishing  in  the 
State,  had  withdrawn  from  the  Great  Council  of  Massachusetts, 
and  had  been  instituted  as  the  Great  Council  of  Connecticut. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 20 

Membership 2,347 

Past  Sachems 123 

Past  Great  Sachems 6 

Wampum  invested 4.207  fathoms  13  inches. 

Wampum  in  belt 5,066  fathoms  78  inches. 

Total  funds 9>273  fathoms  91  inches. 

West  Virginia. — Before  the  war  of  1861  this  had  been  a 
part  of  the  great  reservation  of  Virginia ;  but  having  been  set 
apart  by  the  civil  government  as  an  independent  State,  the  only 
Tribe  existing  there  in  G.  S.  5623  (1863),  Logan,  No.  21,  of 
Wheeling,  came  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  and 
took  the  number  i  of  West  Virginia.  Cornstalk  Tribe,  No.  2, 
of  Wheeling,  was  instituted  during  the  G.  S.  5625  (1865),  and 
Black  Hawk  Tribe,  No.  3,  was  instituted  in  G.  S.  D.  378.  At 
the  following  Council  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  a  charter  for  Great 
Council  was  issued,  and  on  the  2/th  sun  of  Cold  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
379,  the  Great  Council  was  instituted. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3<Dth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 20 

Membership 1,115 


436  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Past  Sachems 158 

Past  Great  Sachems 15 

Wampum  invested none 

Wampum  in  belts        5>233  fathoms  66  inches. 

Total  funds 5»233  fathoms  66  inches. 

California.  —  The  first  mention  of  the  Order  in  connection 
with  California  was  a  report  by  W.  G.  Incohonee  Peters  in  G.  S. 
5614  (1854),  that  he  had  appointed  Past  Sachem  A.  Curry, 
Vice  Great  Incohonee,  with  authority  to  institute  two  Tribes  in 
that  reservation.  There  appears  to  be  no  official  record  ^of  his 
doings  in  this  connection,  but  there  is  a  tradition  in  California 
that  he  established  a  Tribe  at  Red  Dog.  If  he  did,  its  life  was 
of  short  duration.  Among  the  many  Red  Men  in  California  in 
G.  S.  5623  (1863)  were  Brothers  Adam  Smith,  Lando,  and 
Weis,  who,  with  a  number  of  palefaces,  organized  California 
Tribe,  No.  I,  of  San  Francisco,  which  was  instituted  on  the  Qth 
of  Beaver  moon,  in  G.  S.  5623.  Manhattan  Tribe,  No.  2, 
quickly  followed,  but  lived  only  a  short  time.  Hiawatha  Tribe, 
No.  3,  was  next  instituted  in  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  376.  Then 
followed  Manzanita,  No.  4,  with  400  charter  members.  Cali- 
fornia, No.  i,  soon  died,  and  another  No.  I,  working  in  the 
German  language,  was  instituted.  In  G.  S.  D.  377,  six  flourish- 
ing Tribes  were  in  existence,  and  the  Great  Council  was  insti- 
tuted. This  has  always  been  the  largest  Great  Council  west  of 
the  Mississippi  River,  and  by  the  efforts  of  its  members  much 
of  the  preliminary  work  has  been  done  for  the  planting  of  the 
Order  in  the  further  western  jurisdictions. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 36 

Membership 2,636 

Past  Sachems 373 

Past  Great  Sachems 18 

Past  Great  Incohonee     ....  i 

Wampum  invested 71,766  fathoms  50  inches. 

Wampum  in  belts 5>782  fathoms     2  inches. 

Total  funds 77 ,548  fathoms  52  inches. 

Texas.  —  The  Order  was  introduced  into  Texas  by  the  insti- 
tution of  Swamp  Eagle  Tribe,  No.  i,  at  Marshall,  in  G.  S.  D. 
375.  Four  Tribes  were  instituted  in  G.  S.  D.  377,  and  on  the 


STATE    GREAT  COUNCILS  AND    TRIBES.         437 

5th  of  Cold  moon,  G.  S.  D.  378,  its  Great  Council  fire  was 
kindled.  Choctaw  Tribe,  No.  5,  was  instituted  in  G.  S.  D.  380. 
The  Great  Council  made  no  report ;  and  the  Great  Incohonee 
demanded  its  effects  in  the  following  Great  Sun.  Choctaw 
Tribe,  No.  5,  of  Starrville,  was  the  only  Tribe  in  the  State 
then  reported  to  be  in  existence.  In  G.  S.  D.  387,  Choctaw 
Tribe  also  ceased  to  exist.  The  order  in  Texas  was  revived  in 
G.  S.  D.  392,  by  the  institution  of  Caddo  Tribe,  No.  8,  at 
Dallas.  In  Corn  moon  of  the  same  great  sun,  Osceola  Tribe, 
No.  9,  was  instituted  at  Waco.  The  name  Osceola  was  soon 
after  changed  to  Waco.  Seminole  Tribe,  No.  10,  was  instituted 
at  Dallas,  in  Cold  moon,  G.  S.  D.  395.  The  hunting  grounds 
of  Texas  were  now  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Coun- 
cil of  Louisiana.  Caddo,  No.  8,  and  Waco,  No.  9,  were  the 
only  Tribes  in  Texas  on  the  3Oth  of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  400. 
The  statement  of  standing  of  Tribes  in  Louisiana  on  the  3Oth 
of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  covers  Texas,  which  yet  remains 
within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  Louisiana. 

Tennessee. — The  history  of  the  Order  in  this  reservation 
began  in  G.  S.  D.  376,  with  the  institution  of  Tecumseh  Tribe, 
No.  i,  at  Nashville.  The  Order  had  a  very  rapid  growth  here, 
as  is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  at  the  great  sun  council  of  the 
G.  C.  U.  S.  in  G.  S.  D.  377,  the  Great  Incohonee  reported  the 
addition  of  seven  Tribes  in  that  jurisdiction.  Their  application 
for  a  Great  Council  charter  was  then  granted ;  the  Great  Council 
was  instituted  soon  after ;  and  a  very  large  number  of  Tribes 
was  instituted.  The  rapid  growth  of  the  Order  in  these  hunting 
grounds  did  not  continue ;  and  for  a  long  time  the  membership 
gradually  reduced  in  number.  In  the  recent  great  suns,  however, 
new  life  and  energy  has  appeared,  and  a  steady  increase  is  shown. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 5 

Membership 275 

Past  Sachems 25 

Past  Great  Sachems 9 

Past  Great  Incohonee I 

Wampum  invested 1800  fathoms  90  inches. 

Wampum  in  belts 297  fathoms  95  inches. 

Total  funds 2097  fathoms  95  inches. 


438  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Georgia.  —  Cherokee  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Atlanta,  instituted  in 
G.  S.  D.  376,  was  the  beginning  of  the  Order  here.  The 
institution  of  Nickajack,  No.  2,  followed  in  G.  S.  D.  378. 
Then  came  Modoc  Tribe,  No.  3,  in  G.  S.  D.  379,  all  of  Atlanta. 
All  surrendered  their  charters  after  a  time,  but  were  resusci- 
tated. In  G.  S.  D.  387,  the  reports  showed  Cherokee,  No.  i, 
Modoc,  No.  3,  Chattahoochie,  No.  5,  and  Choctaw,  No.  6,  in 
existence.  The  G.  C.  U.  S.,  in  388,  issued  a  charter  for  the 
Great  Council  of  Georgia,  and  it  was  instituted  on  the  6th  of 
Hunting  moon  of  that  great  sun.  Alabama  and  South  Carolina 
were  placed  under  its  jurisdiction  in  G.  S.  D.  395  ;  and  the 
great  chiefs  of  Georgia  instituted  eight  Tribes  in  the  former 
and  five  in  the  latter  State. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 41 

Membership 3A°l 

Past  Sachems 75 

Past  Great  Sachems 9 

Wampum  invested 5*765  fathoms. 

Wampum  in  belts 11,541  fathoms  99  inches. 

Total  funds I7>3°6  fathoms  99  inches. 

Michigan.  —  Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  i,  was  instituted  at 
Detroit,  in  G.  S.  D.  376. 

In  five  great  suns  the  number  of  Tribes  had  increased  to  four, 
the  additions  being,  Tecumseh,  No.  3,  Chippewa,  No.  4,  and 
Red  Cloud,  No.  5,  all  of  Detroit.  Tribe  No.  2  had  existed  at 
Grand  Haven,  but  had  dissolved.  In  Worm  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
381,  dispensation  was  issued  for  a  Great  Council  charter,  and  on 
the  loth  of  the  following  Flower  moon,  the  Great  Council  was 
instituted.  The  Order  has  progressed  slowly  but  steadily  in 
Michigan  from  that  date. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 20 

Membership i>U3 

Past  Sachems 115 

Past  Great  Sachems 12 

Wampum  invested I?13I  fathoms  91  inches. 

Wampum  in  belts 2,106  fathoms  74  inches. 

Total  funds 3?238  fathoms  65  inches. 


STATE   GREAT  COUNCILS  AND   TRIBES. 


439 


Alabama. — The  first  Tribe  in  Alabama  was  Winnebago, 
No.  i,  at  Athens,  instituted  in  G.  S.  D.  378.  A  Tribe  at 
Selma,  Powhatan,  No.  2,  followed  in  the  same  great  sun.  On 
the  1 8th  of  Sturgeon  moon,  G.  S.  D.  380,  Cherokee  Tribe, 
No.  3,  was  instituted  at  Fort  Hampton.  Seminole  Tribe,  No.  4, 
was  instituted  at  Clutsville,  in  Cold  moon,  G.  S.  D.  382.  In 
G.  S.  D.  383,  the  council  fires  of  two  Tribes  were  kindled  — 
Creek,  No.  5,  of  Courtland,  and  Etawa,  No.  6,  of  Hillsboro. 
Only  Powhatan  Tribe,  of  Selma,  survived  in  G.  S.  D.  388,  but 
in  G.  S.  D.  391,  it  was  also  reported  dissolved.  Cherokee 
Tribe,  No.  3,  was  resuscitated  at  Elkmont,  in  G.  S.  D.  392,  but 
dissolved  soon  after.  This  reservation  having  been  placed  in 
charge  of  the  Great  Council  of  Georgia,  in  G.  S.  D.  396,  eight 
Tribes  were  instituted  within  a  few  moons  at  Brownville, 
Anniston,  Montgomery,  Pratt  Mines,  Birmingham,  Dolomite, 
Warrior,  and  Tuscombia.  On  the  I9th  sun  of  Beaver  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  397,  the  Great  Council  of  Alabama  was  instituted. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  this  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 23 

Membership 1*003 

Past  Sachems 122 

Past  Great  Sachems 4 

Wampum  invested 590  fathoms. 

Wampum  in  belts 2,273  fathoms  40  inches. 

Total  funds 2,863  fathoms  40  inches. 

Oregon.  —  The  Order  began  its  work  in  Oregon  by  the  insti- 
tution of  Oregonian-Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  I,  in  G.  S.  D.  379, 
at  Jacksonville  ;  which  was  immediately  followed  by  the  institu- 
tion of  La  Lake  Tribe,  No.  2,  at  Ashland,  and  Multnomah 
Tribe,  No.  3,  at  Portland.  Oneonta  Tribe,  No.  4,  of  Portland, 
was  instituted  on  the  i$th  of  Beaver  moon,  G.  S.  D.  381,  and 
in  Buck  moon,  G.  S.  D.  382,  the 'Great  Council  of  Oregon  was 
instituted.  The  last  report  made  by  this  Great  Council  was  in 
G.  S.  D.  391,  when  six  Tribes  were  reported  in  good  standing. 
In  G.  S.  D.  400,  however,  Oregonian-Pocahontas  Tribe, 
No.  i,  of  Jacksonville,  and  Williamette,  No.  6,  of  Portland, 
again  appear  in  the  records  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  Minnehaha 
Tribe,  No.  2,  was  instituted,  at  Portland,  on  the  6th  of  Worm 


440  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

moon,  G.  S.  D.  399 ;  and  in  the  following  great  sun,  Himaly 
Tribe,  No.  3,  was  instituted  at  Albina.  Winona,  No.  4,  and 
Chinook,  No.  5,  of  Portland,  Concomley,  No.  7,  of  Astoria, 
Kamiakin,  No.  8,  of  Salem,  Modoc,  No.  9,  of  Portland,  and 
Mohawk,  No.  I  r,  of  Albany,  followed  in  rapid  succession,  and  a 
charter  was  granted  by  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  at  Atlanta,  in  Corn 
moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  for  the  institution  of  the  Great  Council  of 
Oregon. 

Nevada.  —  Piute  Tribe,  No.  i,  was  instituted  at  Carson  City, 
Nevada,  on  the  i8th  of  Buck  moon,  G.  S.  D.  379.  On  the  igth 
of  the  succeeding  Corn  moon,  Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  Vir- 
ginia City  was  instituted,  and  in  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  380,  Min- 
nehaha  Tribe,  No.  3,  of  Reno,  was  instituted.  Washoe  Tribe, 
No.  4,  of  Washoe  City,  was  instituted  on  the  I5th  of  Flower 
moon,  G.  S.  D.  381  ;  and  on  the  7th  of  Buck  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
381,  Shoshone  Tribe,  No.  5,  of  Elko,  was  instituted.  The 
Great  Council  fire  was  kindled  on  the  6th  of  Cold  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  382.  The  Order  has  worked  under  the  disadvantages 
of  a  sparsely  settled  country,  and  has  made  little  gain  in 
numbers. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  this  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 4 

Membership 156 

Past  Sachems 44 

Past  Great  Sachems 7 

Wampum  invested 1,600  fathoms. 

Wampum  in  belts 845  fathoms  74  inches. 

Total  funds 2?445  fathoms  74  inches. 

Wisconsin. — The  Order  was  introduced  first  into  this  reser- 
vation in  G.  S.  D.  380,  by  the  institution  in  Cold  moon  of  Mil- 
waukee Tribe,  No.  i,  and  of  Mendota  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  Madison, 
in  Flower  moon.  The  council  fire  of  the  latter  was  soon 
quenched.  Black  Hawk  Tribe,  No.  3,  was  instituted  at  Mil- 
waukee, in  G.  S.  D.  384.  In  G.  S.  D.  387,  the  Great  Chief  of 
Records  reported  that  the  Tribes  of  Wisconsin  had  disbanded. 
Again  in  G.  S.  D.  393,  the  State  having  been  placed  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  Illinois,  the  great  chiefs  of 
that  reservation  instituted  Oshkosh  Tribe,  No.  I,  at  Oshkosh,  in 


STATE    GREAT   COUNCILS  AND    TRIBES.         441 

Worm  moon.  The  reports  for  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  397,  showed 
that  Black  Hawk  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  Beloit,  Mohawk,  No.  3,  of 
Janesville,  Hiawatha,  No.  4,  of  Waukesha,  Passyunk,  No.  5,  of 
Milwaukee,  Winnebago,  No.  6,  of  Fond  du  Lac,  Kishwaukee, 
No.  7,  of  Milwaukee,  Minissine,  No.  8,  of  Madison,  Sioux,  No. 
9,  of  Whitewater,  and  Rickapoo,  No.  10,  of  Richland  Centre, 
had  all  been  instituted  within  the  great  sun.  Only  Hiawatha 
and  Minissine  Tribes  were  in  existence,  however,  in  one  great 
sun  thereafter.  The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  Wisconsin,  on 
the  3Oth  of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  is  contained  in  the  state- 
ment given  for  the  Great  Council  of  Illinois,  on  that  date. 

Rhode  Island.  —  Beginning  on  the  8th  of  Beaver  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  380,  with  the  institution  of  King  Philip  Tribe,  No.  I, 
at  Providence,  the  Order  made  rapid  strides  in  this  reservation. 
On  the  22d  of  Cold  moon,  G.  S.  D.  381,  Canonicus  Tribe,  No. 
2,  was  instituted  at  Warwick.  On  the  igth  of  the  same  moon, 
Miantonomah  Tribe,  No.  3,  was  instituted  at  Providence.  In 
Plant  moon  following,  Wampanoag  Tribe,  No.  4,  was  instituted 
at  Pawtucket,  and  Narragansett,  No.  5,  at  Natick.  On  the  2Oth 
of  Sturgeon  moon,  G.  S.  D.  381,  the  Great  Council  was  insti- 
tuted, being  the  first  in  New  England.  It  flourished  for  a  few 
great  suns,  when  interest  began  to  flag,  and  members  to  fall 
away,  until  in  G.  S.  D.  391  the  Order  was  reported  extinct  in 
Rhode  Island.  In  G.  S.  D.  396,  Rhode  Island  having  been 
placed  in  charge  of  the  Great  Council  of  Massachusetts,  the  great 
chiefs  of  that  State  resuscitated  several  of  the  old  Tribes,  and 
kindled  council  fires  of  new  ones,  so  that  in  G.  S.  D.  397,  there 
were  more  than  800  Red  Men  in  the  State,  and  the  Great  Coun- 
cil fire  was  kindled  a  second  time,  in  Sturgeon  moon. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  this  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 10 

Membership 1*272 

Past  Sachems 97 

Past  Great  Sachems 5 

Wampum  invested 6,886  fathoms  85  inches. 

Wampum  in  belts 3>921  fathoms  61  inches. 

Total  funds 10,812  fathoms  46  inches. 

Utah.  — The  first  introduction  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men  to  the  reservation  of  Utah,  was  by  the  institution  of 


442  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Washakie  Tribe,  No.  i,  at  Salt  Lake  City,  on  the  4th  of  Worm 
moon,  G.  S.  D.  381.  The  next  Tribe  instituted  was  Pocatallo, 
No.  2,  of  Salt  Lake  City,  in  G.  S.  D.  383.  In  G.  S.  D.  385, 
Pocatallo  Tribe  was  declared  extinct.  Two  great  suns  later, 
Washakie  Tribe,  also,  ceased  to  kindle  its  council  fires.  A 
second  attempt  to  plant  the  Order  in  Utah  was  made  on  the 
22d  of  Worm  moon,  G.  S.  D.  391,  by  the  institution  of  Wasatch 
Tribe,  at  Salt  Lake  City  ;  but  the  Tribe  lived  only  a  few  moons. 

(The  council  fire  of  Washakie  Tribe,  No.  I,  of  Salt  Lake  City, 
was  relighted  on  the  8th  of  Buck  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401.) 

Kansas.  —  Osage  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Fort  Scott,  was  the  first 
Tribe  instituted  in  the  State,  the  date  being  loth  of  Buck  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  381.  Panionkee  Tribe,  No.  2,  was  instituted  at  Girard, 
on  the  ist  of  Worm  moon,  G.  S.  D.  385.  In  the  following  great 
sun,  the  Great  Incohonee  reported  the  institution  of  Delaware 
Tribe,  No.  3,  at  Leavenworth.  In  G.  S.  D.  392,  the  institution 
of  three  Tribes  was  reported,  Neosho,  No.  4,  at  Emporia, 
Tawacanie,  No.  5,  at  Cherokee,  and  Mohawk,  No.  6,  at  Par- 
sons. Hiawatha  Tribe,  No.  7,  was  instituted  at  Arkansas  City, 
in  G.  S.  D.  393.  The  Great  Council  fire  was  lighted  on  the 
1 7th  of  Hunting  moon,  G.  S.  D.  393. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 18 

Membership 1092 

Past  Sachems "...  107 

Past  Great  Sachems  .- 9 

Wampum  invested 3,908  fathoms  88  inches. 

Wampum  in  belts I?255  fathoms  71  inches. 

Total  funds 5,164  fathoms  59  inches. 

Washington.  —  Chemakum  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Port  Townsend,  was 
instituted  in  G.  S.  D.  381;  Claim  Tribe,  No.  2,  was  instituted 
at  New  Dungeness,  in  G.  S.  D.  383.  In  the  following  great 
sun,  Wa  Sheila  Tribe,  No.  3,  was  instituted  at  Port  Ludlow. 
Snake  Tribe,  No.  4,  of  Vancouver,  was  instituted  on  the  I5th 
of  Plant  moon,  G.  S.  D.  391,  but  was  extinct  in  G.  S.  D.  393. 
Claim  and  Wa  Sheila  Tribes  survived  but  a  short  time.  In 
G.  S.  D.  397,  Seattle  Tribe,  No.  2,  was  instituted  at  Seattle,  and 
Kumtux,  No.  3,  was  instituted  at  Vancouver.  Clallam  Tribe, 


STATE    GREAT  COUNCILS  AND    TRIBES.         443 

No.  4,  was  instituted  at  Port  Angelus,  on  the  i8th  of  Hot  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  400.  Snoqualmie  Tribe,  No.  5,  was  instituted  in  the 
same  great  sun,  and  was  quickly  followed  by  Lummi,  No.  6,  at 
New  Whatcom,  Snohomish,  No.  7,  at  Snohomish,  and  Piute, 
No.  8,  of  Vancouver.  These  Tribes  were  all  in  good  standing 
on  the  3Oth  of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401. 

Massachusetts.  —  The  Order  was  introduced  into  this  State 
on  the  ist  of  Sturgeon  moon,  G.  S.  D.  381,  by  the  institution 
of  Manataug  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Marblehead.  Sagamore  Tribe, 
No.  2,  of  Lynn,  was  instituted  on  the  28th  of  Worm  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  382  ;  and  on  the  2/th  of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  382, 
Naumkeag  Tribe,  No.  3,  of  Salem,  was  instituted.  On  the  peti- 
tion of  these  three  Tribes  the  Great  Council  was  instituted  on 
the  23d  of  Hunting  moon,  G.  S.  D.  382.  The  Order  in  the 
State  grew  slowly,  its  gains  of  new  Tribes  and  members  being 
offset  by  losses  of  old  Tribes  and  members  for  several  great  suns. 
At  the  first  report  after  institution  the  Great  Council  showed 
221  members,  and  in  G.  S.  D.  389,  seven  great  suns  after,  there 
were  but  151  members  reported.  From  this  point  the  Order 
had  steady  and  sometimes  rapid  gain.  In  G.  S.  D.  400,  it  stood 
second  among  Great  Councils  in  number  of  members,  and  at 
last  report  third.  Connecticut,  Rhode  Island,  and  Vermont 
were  placed  under  its  jurisdiction  with  the  result  that  a  Great 
Council  with  9  Tribes  and  nearly  1600  members,  was  organized 
in  Connecticut  within  one  great  sun ;  and  another  with  7  Tribes 
and  over  800  members,  in  Rhode  Island  within  two  great  suns. 
Several  Tribal  council  fires  have  also  been  kindled  in  Vermont, 
and  a  Great  Council  is  in  prospect  for  the  near  future. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  this  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes no 

Membership 14,601 

Past  Sachems •.  1,026 

Past  Great  Sachems 16 

Past  Great  Incohonee i 

Wampum  invested 50,202  fathoms  41  inches. 

Wampum  in  belts 12,204  fathoms  30  inches. 

Total  funds 62,406  fathoms  71  inches. 

Nebraska.  —  Shoshonee  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Lincoln,  was  insti- 
tuted on  the  3 ist  of  Travelling  moon,  G.  S.  D.  381  ;  but  for 


444  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

lack  of  instruction  the  interest  of  its  members  flagged,  and  it 
soon  surrendered  its  charter.  The  second  attempt  to  plant  the 
Order  here  was  in  G.  S.  D.  385,  Omaha  Tribe,  No.  2,  being 
instituted  at  Omaha  on  the  3d  of  Plant  moon,  G.  S.  D.  385, 
which  six  great  suns  later  discontinued  its  reports  to  the 
G.  C.  U.  S.  The  reservation  of  Nebraska  having  been  placed 
under  the  charge  of  the  Great  Council  of  Iowa,  the  chiefs  of 
that  Great  Council  instituted  Shawnee  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Tecum- 
seh,  Yah  Nun  Dah  Sis,  No.  2,  of  Omaha,  and  Sioux,  No.  3,  of 
Lincoln  during  the  great  sun  ending  3Oth  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
399.  Five  other  Tribes  were  instituted  within  a  few  moons, 
and  on  the  gth  of  Buck  moon,  G.  S.  D.  400,  the  Great  Council 
of  Nebraska  was  instituted. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  this  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows:  — 

Number  of  Tribes 14 

Membership 838 

Past  Sachems 32 

Past  Great  Sachems 2 

Wampum  invested 192  fathoms  50  inches. 

Wampum  in  belts 937  fathoms  65  inches. 

Total  funds i>i3°  fathoms  15  inches. 

South  Carolina.  —  Three  Tribes  were  instituted  in  this  reser- 
vation in  G.  S.  D.  383 :  Catavvba,  No.  I,  of  Columbia,  on  the 
5th  of  Snow  moon,  Chicora,  No.  2,  on  the  26th  of  Cold  moon, 
and  Tuscarora,  No.  3,  of  Newberry,  on  the  2Qth  of  Flower 
moon.  In  G.  S.  D.  385,  only  Chicora  Tribe  remained.  On  the 
5th  of  Cold  moon,  G.  S.  D.  393,  Zuni  Tribe,  No.  4,  was  insti- 
tuted at  Florence,  but  was  reported  extinct  the  next  great  sun. 
In  G.  S.  D.  396,  the  hunting  grounds  of  South  Carolina  were 
placed  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  Georgia, 
which,  in  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  399,  reported  five  Tribes  in  South 
Carolina :  Chicora,  No.  2,  at  Columbia,  Black  Hawk,  No.  5,  at 
Graniteville,  Kiowa,  No.  6,  at 'Charleston,  Cherokee,  No.  7,  at 
Clifton,  and  Choctaw,  No.  8,  at  Langley.  On  the  i/th  of  the 
following  Beaver  moon,  the  Great  Council  of  South  Carolina 
was  instituted. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows:  — 


STATE    GREAT  COUNCILS  AND    TRIBES.         445 

Number  of  Tribes 6 

Membership 605 

Past  Sachems 42 

Past  Great  Sachems 2 

Wampum  invested 114  fathoms  50  inches. 

Wampum  in  belts 791  fathoms  98  inches. 

Total  funds 906  fathoms  48  inches. 

Minnesota.  —  The  council  fire  of  Minnehaha  Tribe,  No.  i,  of 
St.  Paul,  was  kindled  on  the  2cl  of  Plant  moon,  G.  S.  D.  384. 
It  had  an  existence  of  a  few  great  suns,  but  in  G.  S.  D.  390, 
was  declared  extinct.  The  reservation  of  Minnesota  having 
been  placed  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  Illi- 
nois, the  chiefs  of  that  Great  Council  instituted  Hiawatha  Tribe, 
No.  2,  at  Minneapolis,  in  Travelling  moon,  G.  S.  D.  395. 
Cherokee  Tribe,  No.  3,  was  reported,  in  G.  S.  D.  399,  as  insti- 
tuted at  Minneapolis.  The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  Minnesota 
on  the  3<Dth  of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  is  included  in  the  state- 
ment given  for  the  Great  Council  of  Illinois. 

New  Hampshire.  — The  first  Tribal  council  fire  kindled  in 
New  Hampshire  was  of  Paugus  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Salmon  Falls. 
The  institution  of  the  Tribe  was  in  Flower  moon,  G.  S.  D.  384. 
Two  other  Tribes  were  instituted  in  the  reservation  during  the 
great  sun, —  Kankamagus,  No.  2,  at  Dover,  on  the  5th  of  Trav- 
elling moon,  and  Samoset,  No.  3,  at  Rochester,  on  the  29th  of 
Beaver  moon.  Newichewannock  Tribe,  No.  4,  was  instituted  at 
Portsmouth,  on  the  9th  of  Worm  moon,  G.  S.  D.  385.  The 
council  fire  of  Samoset  Tribe  was  reported  quenched  in  G.  S.  D. 
387.  Passaconaway  Tribe,  No.  5,  of  Manchester,  was  instituted 
on  the  1 2th  of  Plant  moon,  G.  S.  D.  390.  The  Great  Council 
of  New  Hampshire  was  instituted  on  the  I3th  of  Plant  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  390.  The  reservation  of  Maine  was  placed  within  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  New  Hampshire,  and  there 
remained  until  the  25th  of  Travelling  moon,  G.  S.  D.  397,  when 
the  members  of  that  State  withdrew  to  form  the  Great  Council 
of  Maine. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  this  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 21 

Membership 2,221 

Past  Sachems    .     .  221 


446  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Past  Great  Sachems 9 

Wampum  invested 6,844  fathoms  94  inches. 

Wampum  in  belts 2>253  fathoms  40  inches. 

Total  funds 9>°98  fathoms  34  inches. 

Maine.  — The  Order  was  first  introduced  into  this  jurisdiction 
by  the  institution  of  Squando  Tribe,  No.  i,  at  Biddeford,  on  the 
6th  of  Beaver  moon,  G.  S.  D.  384.  This  Tribe  became  attached 
to  the  Great  Council  of  New  Hampshire  by  the  consolidation  of 
the  two  States  into  one  jurisdiction.  Soon  afterward,  however, 
it  surrendered  its  charter.  Nine  Tribes  were  instituted  in  the 
hunting  grounds  of  Maine  under  the  new  dispensation,  when  in 
G.  S.  D.  397,  permission  was  given  for  the  withdrawal  of  Maine 
to  form  a  Great  Council.  On  the  25th  of  Travelling  moon  the 
Great  Council  fire  was  lighted. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  jurisdiction  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows:  — 

Number  of  Tribes 21 

Membership i>754 

Past  Sachems 117 

Past  Great  Sachems 4 

Wampum  invested SjOQ1  fathoms  68  inches. 

Wampum  in  belts 2,301  fathoms  72  inches. 

Total  funds 7?393  fathoms  40  inches. 

Hawaiian  Islands.  —  The  Order  was  introduced  into  the 
Hawaiian  Islands  by  Great  Incohonee  Adam  Smith,  who,  in 
person,  kindled  the  council  fire  of  Hawaiian  Tribe,  No.  i,  at 
Honolulu,  in  G.  S.  D.  386.  The  Tribe  existed  about  ten  great 
suns,  at  the  end  of  which  time  its  council  fire  ceased  to  burn. 
It  was  reorganized  in  G.  S.  D.  396,  but  continued  for  only  a 
few  moons,  when  its  council  fire  was  again  quenched. 

Florida.  —  Osceola  Tribe,  No.  i,  was  instituted  in  the  hunt- 
ing grounds  of  Starlte,  Fla.,  in  Buck  moon,  G.  S.  D.  388. 
Wacassassa  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  Bronson,  was  instituted  in  Flower 
moon,  G.  S.  D.  389,  but  surrendered  its  charter  in  the  next  great 
sun.  Three  tribes  were  instituted  in  G.  S.  D.  390  :  Seminole, 
No.  3,  at  Palatka,  on  the  4th  of  Sturgeon  moon,  Yemassee, 
No.  4,  at  Waldo,  on  the  23d  of  Sturgeon  moon,  and  Lulloosa 
Tribe,  No.  5,  at  Hawthorne,  on  the  I4th  of  Travelling  moon. 
Yemassee  and  Lulloosa  Tribes  surrendered  their  charters  in 


STATE    GREAT  COUNCILS  AND    TRIBES.         447 

G.  S.  D.  392.  Miccosookee  Tribe,  No.  6,  of  Enterprise,  was 
instituted  in  Beaver  moon,  G.  S.  D.  392,  and  Lulloosa  Tribe 
was  revived.  On  the  2d  of  Snow  moon,  G.  S.  D.  393,  the 
Great  Council  of  Florida  was  instituted. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth  of 
Hot  jnoon,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 6 

Membership 210 

Past  Sachems 35 

Past  Great  Sachems 2 

Wampum  invested 400  fathoms. 

Wampum  in  belts 415  fathoms  7  inches. 

Total  funds 815  fathoms  7  inches. 

Colorado.  —  Rising  Bow  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Central  City,  was 
instituted  in  G.  S.  D.  388.  In  G.  S.  D.  389,  Rising  Sun  Tribe, 
No.  2,  was  instituted  at  Nevadaville,  and  Blazing  Arrow  Tribe, 
No.  3,  was  instituted  at  Idaho  Springs.  Arapahoe  Tribe,  No.  4, 
of  Caribou,  was  instituted  in  Cold  moon,  G.  S.  D.  391.  Ouray 
Tribe,  No.  5,  of  Denver,  was  instituted  on  the  26th  of  Hot 
moon,  G.  S.  D.  393.  The  Great  Council  fire  was  kindled  on 
the  23d  of  Buck  moon,  G.  S.  D.  393. 

The  standing  of  the  Tribes  in  the  reservation  on  the  3Oth 
of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  was  as  follows  :  — 

Number  of  Tribes 23 

Membership ijZQi 

Past  Sachems 142 

Past  Great  Sachems 6 

Wampum  invested 16,693  fathoms  45  inches. 

Wampum  in  belts 6,997  fathoms  74  inches. 

Total  funds 235691  fathoms  19  inches. 

Arizona.  —  Dispensation  was  issued  in  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
388,  for  the  institution  of  Maricopa  Tribe,  No.  I,  at  Phoenix; 
but  the  Tribe  never  reported  to  the  Great  Council,  and  its  name 
soon  disappeared  from  the  roll  of  Tribes. 

Arkansas.  —  Mineola  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Hot  Springs,  was  in- 
stituted in  G.  S.  D.  393.  It  made  no  report  after  G.  S.  D.  394, 
and  in  G.  S.  D.  395  was  reported  extinct.  In  G.  S.  D.  396,  the 
State  was  placed  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of 
Louisiana. 


448  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Montana.  —  Silver  Bow  Tribe,  No.  i,  was  instituted  at  Butte 
City,  in  Beaver  moon,  G.  S.  D.  392.  Its  name  was  by  dispen- 
sation changed  to  Navahoe.  The  council  fire  was  in  G.  S.  D. 
396  reported  quenched. 

New  Mexico.  —  Montezuma  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Las  Vegas,  was 
instituted  in  G.  S.  D.  395,  but  failed  to  keep  its  council  fire 
burning. 

Vermont.  —  The  Order  was  introduced  into  this  reservation 
in  G.  S.  D.  395,  by  the  great  chiefs  of  Massachusetts,  the 
State  having  been  placed  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great 
Council  of  Massachusetts.  The  first  Tribe  instituted  was 
Ascutney  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Bellows  Falls.  The  Tribes  existing 
on  the  3Oth  of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  were  Ascutney,  No.  i, 
of  Bellows  Falls,  Quonekticut,  No.  2,  of  Brattleboro,  Cascadnac, 
No.  4,  of  White  River  Junction,  Hocco  Mocco,  No.  5,  of  Brad- 
ford, Mohegan,  No.  6,  of  Bennington,  Pequiot,  No.  8,  of  West 
Randolph,  and  Algonquin,  No.  9,  of  St.  Johnsbury.  The  stand- 
ing of  its  Tribes  on  the  3Oth  of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401,  is 
included  in  the  statement  given  for  the  Great  Council  of  Mas- 
sachusetts. 

Province  of  Ontario.  —  The  province  of  Ontario  having  been 
placed  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  New 
York,  its  great  chiefs  organized  Missiosigee  Tribe,  No.  i,  at 
Toronto,  in  G.  S.  D.  396,  and  its  council  fire  was  kindled  by 
Great  Chief  of  Records  Charles  C.  Conley,  on  the  ist  of  Stur- 
geon moon.  In  G.  S.  D.  399  its  council  fire  was  reported 
quenched.  There  is  now,  therefore,  no  council  fire  burning 
outside  the  limits  of  the  United  States. 

Indian  Territory.  —  The  Order  has  been  established  here  but 
one  great  sun  —  Choctaw  Tribe,  No.  i,  having  been  instituted 
at  Hartshorne,  on  the  9th  of  Hot  moon,  G.  S.  D.  400. 

Wyoming. — Cheyenne  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Cheyenne,  was  in- 
stituted on  the  9th  of  Beaver  moon,  G.  S.  D.  400.  The  coun- 
cil fire  of  Wahsatch  Tribe,  No.  2,  was  kindled  at  Laramie  City, 
on  the  29th  of  Worm  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401.  Both  council  fires 
are  burning  brightly. 


CHAPTER  X. 

BIOGRAPHIES. 

As  the  written  history  of  any  country  is  incomplete  without 
a  knowledge  of  the  individuals  through  whose  agency  the  affairs 
of  government  have  been  conducted,  so  in  an  organization  for 
fraternal,  benevolent,  or  social  purposes  the  personality  of  the 
individuals  composing  it,  and  under  whose  control  it  has  advanced 
either  to  prosperity  or  adversity,  are  so  closely  interwoven  with 
every  detail  of  its  history  as  to  make  it  impossible  to  correctly 
give  that  history  without  giving  also  information  of  its  prominent 
members. 

It  seems  to  have  been  the  rule  that  all  organizations  founded 
upon  the  inspiration  of  a  desire  to  benefit  mankind,  and  for  the 
diffusion  of  the  principles  of  benevolence  and  charity,  have 
been  organized  by  men  in  humble  ranks  in  life.  From  the  bit- 
terness of  their  own  personal  experience,  they  have  seemed  to 
realize  how  powerless  is  man  as  an  individual  to  cope  with 
those  forces  which  tend  to  degrade  him  in  the  social  scale,  and 
comprehend  in  its  full  force  the  trite  saying,  "  In  union  there  is 
strength."  The  founders  of  these  organizations  have  sought  to 
bring  together  kindred  spirits,  men  actuated  by  the  same  unsel- 
fish motives,  and  by  their  united  efforts  do  for  the  individual 
what  he  alone  and  unaided  would  be  unable  to  accomplish. 

The  history  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  is  no  excep- 
tion to  the  general  rule.  It  will  be  found  that  the  brothers  who, 
with  unselfish  devotion  to  Freedom,  Friendship,  and  Charity, 
planted  the  seeds  of  our  fraternity,  were  men  in  humble  walks 
in  life,  whose  names  are  not  blazoned  upon  the  pages  of 
our  country's  history,  but  who,  modest  and  unassuming,  with 
hearts  full  of  the  desire  to  benefit  humanity,  joined  themselves 
together  in  an  organization  which  should  accomplish  for  them 
and  their  successors  the  good  it  was  their  ambition  to  secure. 

449 


450  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

These  short  biographies  are  given  so  that  the  members  of 
the  Order  in  the  present  generation  may  learn  something  con- 
cerning the  founders  of  the  Order,  and,  by  reading  of  their 
devotion  and  self-sacrifice,  be  inspired  with  equal  fidelity  to 
the  principles  of  our  fraternity. 

With  these  preliminary  and  introductory  remarks,  we  present 
the  biographies  of  the  following  Past  Great  Incohonees  :  — 

Past  Great  Incohonee  William  G.  Gorsuch.  —  William  G.  Gor- 
such  was  born  in  Baltimore  County,  Md.,  in  June,  1804,  and 
was  adopted  in  Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  3,  of  that  city.  He  was 
one  of  the  six  Past  Great  Sachems  of  Maryland  who  met  January 
30,  1847,  and  organized  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States, 
of  which  he  was  elected  the  first  Great  Incohonee. 

September  13,  1869,  he  was  elected  Great  Keeper  of  Wam- 
pum, and  was  continued  in  that  chieftaincy  12  great  suns. 
For  a  number  of  terms  he  was  Representative  to  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States,  the  last  time  of  his  service  as 
such  being  1875.  He  also  served  as  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum 
of  Maryland  for  17  years. 

He  died  in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  October  7,  1887.  A  short 
time  before  his  death,  two  of  his  associate  Past  Great  Inco- 
honees visited  him  at  his  home.  He  spoke  feelingly  of  the  past 
and  future  prospects  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States, 
and  made  grateful  reference  to  the  many  acts  of  kindness  the 
members  had  manifested  towards  him,  and  the  love  he  always 
had  for  the  Order  and  its  principles.  At  parting  he  warmly 
pressed  the  hands  of  his  visitors,  and  as  tears  coursed  down 
his  furrowed  cheeks  at  the  thought  that  the  friendly  tie  would 
soon  be  severed,  he  said  :  "  My  work  is  done,  but  the  Order 
still  moves  on.  I  am  waiting  for  the  boatman  to  take  me  home. 
I  have  been  in  this  room  three  years.  I  have  not  murmured. 
It  is  all  right.  It  is  all  right.  Good-by,  and  may  God  bless 
you ! " 

He  was  in  the  Great  Council  at  its  birth,  and  was  permitted 
to  live  long  enough  to  see  it  have  under  its  jurisdiction  65,000 
members.  He  was  kind  and  genial  in  his  nature,  and  was 
revered  and  respected  by  all  who  knew  him,  as  a  brother  and 
friend,  and  as  an  honored  and  honorable  member  of  the  com- 
munity in  which  he  lived. 


BIOGRAPHIES. 


451 


Past  Great  Incohonee  Hugh  Latham.  —  Hugh  Latham  was 
born  in  Washington,  D.C.,  April,  1812',  but  his  parents  moved 
to  Alexandria,  Va.,  while  he  was  very  young.  In  early  life  he 
learned,  and  worked  at  the  trade  of  shoemaking ;  but  late  in 
1845,  or  early  in  1846,  he  became  the  first  agent  for  the 
Baltimore  Sun  south  of  the  Potomac,  and  was  also  the  first 
agent  for  the  Adams  Express  Company  in  that  city.  He 
became  a  member  of  the  Order  as  charter  member  of  Powhatan 
Tribe,  No.  I,  District  of  Columbia;  and  in  the  year  1845,  when 
the  Order  was  introduced  into  Alexandria,  Va.,  he  was  one  of  the 
members  who  assisted  in  the  organization  of  Osceola  Tribe, 
then  No.  2,  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  now  No.  I,  of  Virginia, 
and  he  was  chosen  the  first  Sachem  of  that  Tribe.  Upon  the 
organization  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  District  of  Columbia 
he  was  elected  Grand  Sachem,  as  it  was  then  called.  When 
the  Great  Council  of  Virginia  was  formed,  he  withdrew,  and 
joined  that  body.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Great  Council  of 
the  United  States  in  1847,  and  at  once  took  the  rank  in  that 
body  to  which  his  great  ability  and  commanding  talents  entitled 
him.  At  the  time  of  his  entry  into  that  body,  some  opposition 
had  begun  to  manifest  itself  to  the  claim  of  supreme  authority 
made  and  exercised  by  the  Grand  Council  of  Maryland.  His 
wisdom,  skill,  prudence,  and  ability  prevailed  with  the  Repre- 
sentatives, and  shaped  the  legislation  which  finally  gave  to  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States  the  supreme  power  it  now 
possesses,  while,  at  the  same  time,  retaining  for  each  State  Great 
Council  exclusive  jurisdiction  over  its  own  reservation.  At  the 
election  of  chiefs,  in  1848,  he  was  elected  the  second  Great 
Incohonee  of  the  Order.  His  administration  was  marked  with 
zeal  and  ability,  and,  indeed,  from  his  admission  until  his  death, 
he  was  a  leading  and  influential  member  of  the  Great  Council 
of  the  United  States.  He  served  on  its  most  important  com- 
mittees, and  helped  to  frame  its  legislation  and  unwritten  work. 
To  enumerate  his  labor  would  be  to  reproduce  the  history  of 
the  important  legislation  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States.  He  was  twice  elected  Great  Prophet  ;  first,  in  1888, 
and  again  in  1890.  It  is  the  exact  truth  to  say  that  in  the 
deliberations  of  the  supreme  body  of  the  Order  he  had  few 
equals  and  no  superiors  as  a  sound,  eloquent,  and  logical  debater. 


452  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

He  was  a  master  of  invective  and  sarcasm  when  these  qualities 
were  necessary  to  rebuke  an  unwise  antagonist  or  to  defeat  a 
noxious  measure.  Of  him  with  truth  it  has  been  said,  "as 
a  man  he  was  genial  and  courteous,  a  true  type  of  the  Virginia 
gentleman  ;  a  firm  and  generous  foe ;  keen  and  ready  in  re- 
partee, and  unsparing  in  his  unscathing  denunciation  of  sham 
and  pretence."  In  civil  life  he  was  repeatedly  honored  by 
election  to  the  City  Council  of  Alexandria,  and  he  was  the  first 
Mayor  of  that  city  after  the  late  Civil  War.  He  died  October 
25,  1880,  and  was  buried  with  the  honors  of  the  Order,  the 
Great  Incohonee  and  many  other  of  the  Great  Chiefs  and  Past 
Great  Chiefs  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  being 
present  at  his  funeral. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  John  F.  Smith.  —  John  F.  Smith  was 
born  in  Middlebury,  Va.,  and  was  a  member  of  Algonquin 
Tribe,  No.  i,  of  that  State.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States,  April  4,  1849,  and  was  elected 
Great  Incohonee  at  that  council.  The  information  possessed 
by  us  concerning  Brother  Smith  is  very  meagre,  and  we  are 
unable  to  give  the  date  either  of  his  birth  or  death,  and  as  far 
as  we  know  he  may  be  now  living.  From  those  who  were  his 
associates  during  his  connection  with  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States,  we. learn  that  he  was  an  efficient  chief,  and  dis- 
charged the  duties  of  Great  Incohonee  in  a  manner  that  met 
the  approbation  of  the  members  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  His  man- 
ner was  pleasant  and  genial,  and  his  decisions,  while  Great 
Incohonee,  were  rendered  with  great  fairness  and  clearness  of 
judgment.  He  must  have  possessed  qualities  of  mind  that 
commended  him  to  his  associates  to  receive  the  exalted  rank  of 
Great  Incohonee  on  the  occasion  of  his  first  admission  into  the 
G.  C.  U.  S. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  William  Beesley  Davis.  —  William 
Beesley  Davis  was  born  in  Salem,  N.J.,  December  2,  1820. 
He  first  became  a  member  of  the  Order  by  adoption  in  Kue- 
quenaku  Tribe,  No.  4,  at  its  institution  in  Plant  moon,  G.  S. 
5608,  and  while  a  member  of  that  Tribe  was  elected  Great 
Sachem  of  Pennsylvania,  and  Great  Incohonee  of  the  United 
States.  He  afterwards  took  an  active  part  in  organizing  and 
instituting  Black  Hawk  Tribe,  No.  26,  of  Philadelphia,  to  which 


BIOGRAPHIES.  453 

he  was  attached  at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  an  ardent 
and  industrious  student,  and  graduated  with  high  honors  from 
Pennsylvania  University,  and  for  many  years  successfully  prac- 
tised his  profession  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  where  he  was 
highly  respected  not  only  as  a  physician,  but  as  a  sterling  and 
able  citizen.  He  took  an  active  part  in  society  matters,  and 
was  for  many  years  a  member  of  Kensington  Lodge,  No.  211, 

F.  and  A.  M.,  of  which  he  was  an  honored  Past  Master.     He 
proved  himself  eminently  a  scholar  and  a  gentleman,  though 
modest  and  retiring  in  his  general  deportment.     He  was  firm 
in  his  convictions,  and  proved  a  faithful  member  of  our  Order 
in  its  early  days.     After  a  wasting  illness,  which  he  bore  with 
calm  and   Christian   resignation,  he  passed  from  the  hunting- 
grounds  of  earth,  the  7th  of  Worm  moon,  G.  S.  D.  395  (March 
7,  1886),  and  was  buried  in  South  Cedar  Hill  Cemetery,  Phila- 
delphia.    His  funeral  was  attended  by  a  large  number  of  mem- 
bers of  the  Masonic  Fraternity  and  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men,  as  well  as  a  large  circle  of  his  friends,  among  whom  he  was 
universally  admired  and  respected.     The  Great  Council  of  the 
United   States  and   the  Great   Council  of   Pennsylvania  were 
represented  by  many  of  their  members. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Robert  Sullivan.  —  Robert  Sullivan  was 
born  in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  in  the  year  1814.  He  be- 
came a  member  of  Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  3,  of  Baltimore,  but 
the  precise  date  of  his  adoption,  we  are  unable  to  give.  As 
early  as  1850,  he  had  attained  the  rank  of  Past  Grand  Sachem 
of  the  Grand  Council  of  Maryland,  and  was  admitted  to  the 

G.  C.  U.  S.  in  Plant  moon,  1850,  and  at  the  same  council  was 
elected  W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore.     At  the  succeeding  council  in 
1851  he  was  elected  W.  G.  Incohonee.     He  died  September  24, 
1867.     He  was  a  painter  by  trade,  and  won  material  success  at 
his  calling.     For  many  years  he  served  the  city  of  Baltimore  as 
a  member  of  the  City  Council,  and  was  also  for  a  long  time 
Superintendent  of  Druid  Hill  Park,  a  position  requiring  judg- 
ment, care,  and  executive  ability.     He  is  described  as  a  man  of 
fine  personal  appearance,  good  physique,  and  pleasant,  affable 
manners,  and  his  good  heart  and  gentlemanly  conduct  drew  to 
him  the  loyal  friendship  of  all  who  knew  him.     While  his  con- 
nection with  the  Order  was  comparatively  brief,  yet  it  was  of 


454  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

sufficient  length  to  impress  all  the  members  whom  he  met, 
with  his  sterling  worth  and  executive  ability. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  William  Tucker.  —  William  Tucker  was 
born  in  the  city  of  Washington,  D.C.,  in  the  year  1813.  He 
was  admitted  to  the  Order  in  1845  as  a  charter  member  of  Ana- 
costia  Tribe,  No.  3,  District  of  Columbia,  and  was  admitted  as 
a  Representative  of  that  Tribe  in  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland, 
on  October  10,  1845.  His  name  also  appears  as  one  of  the 
three  from  his  Tribe,  on  a  petition  for  a  charter  to  the  Great 
Council  of  the  District  of  Columbia  which  was  chartered  in 
that  same  year.  The  meagre  records  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  do  not 
give  the  precise  date  of  his  admission  into  that  body,  but  he  was 
elected  W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore  in  1851,  and  W.  G.  Incohonee 
in  1852.  He  followed  the  trade  of  a  pump  and  block  maker, 
and  built  up  a  large  business  in  the  city  of  Washington  and 
vicinity.  He  was  an  active  worker  in  the  Order  while  he  re- 
mained a  member.  We  are  unable  to  give  the  date  when  his 
membership  ceased,  or  the  date  of  his  death. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  George  A.  Peter.  —  George  A.  Peter  was 
born  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  February  14,  1809.  He  was  one  of  the 
historical  characters  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men.  An- 
other authority  gives  the  date  of  his  birth  as  February  i,  1808. 
He  was  a  member  of  one  of  the  branches  of  the  Society  of  Red 
Men.  At  the  institution  of  the  "  Grand  Council  of  Maryland, 
Society  of  Red  Men,"  he  was  chosen  Grand  Chief  of  Records. 
In  G.  S.  D.  349  (1840),  he  removed  to  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  but  re- 
mained there  only  a  few  moons,  and  then  went  to  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  where  he  located  permanently.  He  secured  the  organiza- 
tion of  Miami  Tribe,  No.  i,  at  Cincinnati,  on  the  Qth  of  Corn  moon, 
G.  S.  5611  (September  9,  1851),  of  which  Tribe  he  remained  a 
member  until  he  died.  When  the  Great  Council  of  Ohio  was 
organized,  he  became  Great  Sachem,  which  entitled  him  to 
admission  into  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  and  his 
name  is  recorded  among  the  Representatives  admitted  at  the 
council  held  in  1853.  At  the  Council  of  1854,  he  was  elected 
Great  Incohonee.  He  died  September  30,  1879.  Brother  Peter 
was  a  practical  paper-hanger  and  decorator,  and  in  his  trade 
showed  skill,  ability,  and  fidelity,  which  endeared  him  to  all  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact.  He  was  prominent  in  other  fraternal 


BIOGRAPHIES.  455 

organizations,  being  a  member  of  Ohio  Lodge,  No.  i,  and  Wiley 
Encampment  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  In  civil  life,  in  his  adopted  city 
of  Cincinnati,  he  was  known  and  respected  by  his  fellow-citizens, 
by  whom  he  was  repeatedly  selected  as  a  member  of  the  school 
board  and  of  the  City  Council.  He  was  also  Mayor  of  the 
village  of  Riverside,  a  suburb  of  Cincinnati.  This  brief  sketch 
gives  but  faintly  a  memorial  of  Past  Great  Incohonee  George 
A.  Peter.  The  name  given  him  on  his  admission  to  the  Society 
of  Red  Men  was  "  Link  of  Union."  This  is  a  peculiarly  apt 
name  for  the  brother,  as  in  his  personality  he  was  indeed  a 
"link  of  union  "  between  the  old  organization  and  the  "new. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  William  R.  Burns.  —  William  R.  Burns 
was  the  eighth  Great  Incohonee  of  the  Order.  The  information 
concerning  this  brother  at  our  command  is  very  meagre.  He 
was  a  charter  member  of  Moax  Tribe,  No.  5,  which  was  insti- 
tuted October  i,  1851.  In  1853  he  was  admitted  to  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States,  representing  the  Great  Council  of 
New  Jersey,  and  at  the  same  council  was  elected  W.  G.  Senior 
Sagamore.  In  1854,  by  which  time  he  had  attained  the  rank  of 
Past  Great  Sachem  of  New  Jersey,  he  was  elected  W.  G.  Inco- 
honee. Almost  immediately  after  the  termination  of  his  chief- 
taincy, his  connection  with  the  Order  was  severed.  We  are  not 
in  possession  of  any  data  concerning  him  after  that  time. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  George  W.  Ford.  —  We  have  no  informa- 
tion as  to  the  date  of  the  birth  or  death  of  Brother  George  W. 
Ford.  The  first  information  concerning  him  given,  is  residing 
at  Newport,  Ky.,  and  it  is  probable  that  he  was  a  member  of 
Chickasaw  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Newport,  which  was  instituted  June 
29,  1852.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States  in  1855,  by  which  time  he  had  attained  the  rank  of  Past 
Great  Sachem  of  Kentucky,  and  at  that  council  was  elected 
W.  G.  Incohonee.  Brother  Ford  was  an  active  and  zealous  Red 
Man  -during  his  connection  with  the  Order.  He  gave  his  per- 
sonal attention  to  the  institution  of  Tribes  while  holding  the 
position  of  W.  G.  Incohonee,  and  among  the  Tribes  instituted 
by  him  was  Osyka,  No.  i,  of  New  Orleans,  La.  Brother  Ford 
is  recorded  as  having  been  a  generous,  frank,  good-hearted  man, 
a  kind  friend,  and  a  capable  chief  in  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States. 


456          IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  RED  MEN. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Louis  Bonsai.  —  Louis  Bonsai  was  born 
in  Baltimore,  Md.,  June  17,  1818.  He  was  elected  a  member  of 
Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  3,  of  Maryland,  December  23,  1840,  and 
remained  a  member  of  that  Tribe  for  a  period  of  more  than  50 
years  until  its  dissolution.  In  Travelling  moon,  G.  S.  D.  401 
(October,  1892),  shortly  after  the  dissolution  of  the  Tribe,  he 
passed  from  the  hunting  grounds  of  earth,  and  through  no  fault 
of  his  own  was  not  a  member  of  the  Order  at  that  time.  His 
advanced  age,  being  over  74  years,  precluded  his  admission  into 
any  other  Tribe,  and  the  local  legislation  of  the  reservation  of 
Maryland  did  not  provide  for  continuing  the  membership  of 
aged  members  of  the  Order.  Brother  Bonsai  held  almost  every 
position  in  his  Tribe,  and  was  also  Great  Chief  of  Records,  and 
Great  Sachem  in  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland.  He  assisted 
at  the  organization  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States 
in  January,  1847,  and  was  elected  Great  Incohonee,  September 
10,  1856.  While  Great  Incohonee  he  aroused  considerable 
opposition  by  issuing  a  charter  to  Powhatan  Tribe,  No.  i,  of 
Washington,  D.C.,  but  having  the  courage  of  his  convictions 
he  was  not  deterred  by  threats  nor  moved  from  his  purpose  by 
angry  words.  In  early  youth  Brother  Bonsai  served  his  appren- 
ticeship as  a  book-binder,  but  on  reaching  his  majority  estab- 
lished himself  in  business  in  a  book  and  stationery  store  which 
he  continued  for  several  years.  He  moved  from  Baltimore  to 
the  country  for  a  short  period,  and  on  his  return  engaged  in  the 
grocery  business,  which  he  continued  for  many  years.  Brother 
Bonsai  merited  and  received  the  loyal  affection  of  his  brothers 
in  the  Order,  with  whom  he  was  connected  through  many  great 
suns.  As  stated,  he  died  at  a  ripe  old  age,  in  the  full  fruition  of 
a  good  life  well  spent,  and  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Daniel  W.  Carter.  —  Daniel  W.  Carter 
was  born  in  Salem,  N.J.,  October  24,  1820.  His  admission  to 
the  Order  occurred  in  the  early  history  of  that  reservation,  and 
he  was  admitted  to  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  in 
1854.  In  1856  he  was  elected  W.  G.  Senior  Sagamore,  and  in 
1857,  W.  G.  Incohonee,  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  He  died  April  23, 
1885,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  held  the  position  of  Great 
Chief  of  Records  of  the  Great  Council  of  Delaware.  At  the 
age  of  1 2  years,  by  reason  of  the  death  of  his  father,  he  was  com- 


BIOGRAPHIES.  457 

pelled  to  go  among  strangers  and  earn  his  livelihood.  He  was 
apprenticed  to  learn  the  trade  of  a  tanner  and  currier,  and  at 
the  age  of  21  entered  into  a  partnership  which  continued  until 
1854,  when  he  removed  to  Wilmington,  Del.,  where  he  again 
engaged  in  the  business  of  tanner  and  currier.  Subsequent  to 
1 86 1  he  was  superintendent  of  several  influential  firms.  He 
held  many  positions  of  trust  and  honor  in  the  city  of  Wilming- 
ton, and  in  all  the  offices  filled  by  him,  either  as  a  member  of 
the  Order  or  as  a  citizen,  he  won  the  confidence  and  respect  of 
all  his  associates. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Paxon  Coats.  —  Faxon  Coats  was  born 
June  24,  1815,  near  New  Hope,  Bucks  Co.,  Pa.  In  1841  he 
moved  to  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and,  in  1842,  established  himself  per- 
manently in  the  city  of  Cincinnati,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
business  of  a  distiller.  In  1843  ne  established  the  business  of 
burning  and  grinding  charcoal  for  use  in  rectifying,  still  con- 
tinuing the  business  of  a  distiller.  A  short  time  previous  to 
his  death  he  returned  to  Pennsylvania,  and  died  in  the  city  of 
Philadelphia,  June  6,  1879,  H1  tne  64th  year  of  his  age,  at  the 
home  of  his  nephew  William  Coats.  He  was  adopted  in  Miami 
Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  advanced  rapidly  through 
the  various  chieftaincies,  until  he  was  admitted  into  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States  at  the  council  held  in  1856.  In 
September,  1858,  he  was  elected  Great  Incohonee.  Brother 
Coats  was  a  good  citizen,  and  though  unfortunate  in  his  business 
relations  near  the  end  of  his  life,  he  always  retained  the  respect 
and  confidence  of  his  intimate  personal  friends. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Andrew  J.  Baker.  —  Andrew  J.  Baker 
was  born  January  20,  1828,  at  Passayunk,  now  a  part  of  the 
city  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.  His  early  education  was  obtained  in 
the  old  Passayunk  Seminary.  When  but  ten  years  old,  his 
father  died,  and  at  the  age  of  12  he  was  compelled  to  assist  in 
the  support  of  the  family.  He  afterwards  learned  the  trade  of 
metal  turner  and  subsequently  that  of  gas-fitter.  He  resided  in 
Richmond,  Va.,  for  a  short  time,  and  while  working  at  his  trade 
of  gas-fitter  put  up  the  first  gas-pipe  used  in  that  city.  While 
residing  there  he  assisted  at  the  institution  of  Pocahontas  Tribe, 
No.  14,  and  regularly  attended  its  Councils.  He  was  one  of  the 
petitioners  for  the  charter  of  Wyoming  Tribe,  No.  7,  and  was 


458  IMPROVED    ORDER   OF  RED  MEN. 

adopted  at  its  institution,  September  22,  1849,  being  the  young- 
est member  adopted.  The  original  name  of  the  Tribe  was 
Weccacoe,  but  it  was  changed,  in  1854,  to  Wyoming.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  Great  Council  of  Pennsylvania,  October  9,  1849. 
He  served  as  Sachem  of  his  Tribe  from  August  5,  1850,  and 
subsequently  served  as  Chief  of  Records  for  several  terms,  and 
on  January  2,  1862,  he  was  raised  up  as  Keeper  of  Wampum, 
which  chieftaincy  he  has  held  since  that  time.  He  passed 
through  various  chieftaincies  in  the  Great  Council  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  has  been  repeatedly  elected  Representative  from  that 
body  to  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  in  which  he  was  admitted  for  the  first 
time  in  1854.  He  served  as  Great  Chief  of  Records  of  Penn- 
sylvania for  a  period  of  14  great  suns,  during  which  time  180 
Tribes  were  instituted,  besides  a  number  whose  council  fires 
had  ceased  to  burn,  and  were  rekindled  during  that  time. 
Brother  Baker  has  instituted  or  taken  part  in  the  institution  of 
more  than  200  Tribes  in  Pennsylvania,  besides  several  in  New 
Jersey  and  New  York.  Acting  under  the  authority  of  Great 
Incohonee  Parsons,  he  instituted  the  Great  Council  of  West 
Virginia,  January  27,  1870.  In  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States,  Brother  Baker  served  on  most  of  the  important  com- 
mittees, and  has  had  a  prominent  part  in  shaping  its  laws  and 
perfecting  its  ritual  and  other  ceremonies.  In  company  with 
the  late  P.  G.  I.  Gorham,  he  prepared  the  ritual  which,  with  the 
modifications  recently  adopted,  remains  in  use  at  the  present 
time.  Brother  Baker  has  been  present  at  every  council  of  the 
G.  C.  U.  S.,  since  his  admission  to  that  body,  and  has  also 
attended  every  regular  council  of  the  Great  Council  of  Pennsyl- 
vania for  more  than  forty  great  suns.  While  Brother  Baker  has 
more  closely  identified  himself  with  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men  than  with  any  other  organization,  he  is  also  a  Past  Grand 
of  Southern  Lodge,  No.  41,  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  is  also  Past 
Master  of  Lafayette  Lodge,  No.  71,  and  of  St.  John  Chapter, 
No.  32,  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity.  Brother  Baker  has  not 
taken  active  part  in  politics,  although  he  has  occasionally  served 
as  a  member  of  the  Common  Council  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia. 
For  a  number  of  years  he  was  a  member  of  the  Philadelphia 
Grays.  During  the  late  Civil  War,  he  held  a  commission  as 
first  lieutenant  in  one  of  the  emergency  regiments  of  Pennsyl- 


BIOGRAPHIES.  459 

vania,  although  his  regiment  was  not  called  into  active  service. 
In  the  Volunteer  Fire  department,  in  Philadelphia,  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Old  Diligent  Fire  Engine  Company  for  about  20 
years,  and  still  holds  a  position  of  trust  in  the  relief  association 
of  the  veteran  firemen  of  that  city.  Brother  Baker  is  the  senior 
surviving  Past  Great  Incohonee  now  connected  with  the  Order. 
He  is  a  man  of  strong  will  and  resolute  purpose,  active,  ener- 
getic, and  earnest  in  the  support  of  what  he  believes  for  the 
best  interest  and  welfare  of  the  Order.  At  the  same  time,  he  is 
strong  in  his  personal  friendships,  and  those  who.  obtain  his 
confidence  find  him  a  warm  and  loyal  friend. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Richard  Marley.  —  Richard  Marley  was 
born  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  November  12,  1791.  Early 
in  life,  he  was  apprenticed  to  the  trade  of  a  shoemaker,  at  which 
he  became  an  expert,  and  upon  his  removal  to  Baltimore,  he 
opened  a  ladies'  shoe  store,  in  which  venture  he  was  success- 
ful, and  in  which  he  continued  during  his  life.  The  Minute 
Book  of  the  Society  of  Red  Men  shows  the  admission,  Sep- 
tember 14,  1824,  of  "Richard  Marley,  Cordwainer,"  proposed  by 
"  Hospitality,"  name  received,  Mattawa,  or  "  Moose  Deer's 
Brother."  Among  his  papers,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  was 
found  a  letter  dated  Philadelphia,  May  13,  1820,  and  signed  by 
the  Generalissimo,  directed  to  "  Split  Log's  Brother,"  5th  Major- 
General  commanding  in  Maryland.  Brother  Marley  was  among 
those  who  assisted  at  the  organization  of  a  Tribe  in  Baltimore, 
of  the  Society  of  Red  Men,  out  of  which  grew  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men.  He  afterwards  became  a  charter  member 
of  Ottawa  Tribe,  No.  16,  in  November,  1849.  He  was  admitted 
to  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  in  1851,  and  was 
elected  W.  G.  Incohonee  in  1860,  having  previously  obtained 
the  rank  of  Past  Great  Sachem  in  the  Great  Council  of  Mary- 
land. Not  only  was  Brother  Marley  prominent  in  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men,  but  he  was  among  the  earliest  members  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  attained  the  rank 
of  Past  Grand  Sire  in  that  organization  corresponding  to  the 
rank  of  Past  Great  Incohonee  in  our  Order.  He  died  May  7, 
1867,  at  the  age  of  78,  and  from  both  of  the  organizations 
named,  many  joined  at  his  funeral  in  doing  all  possible  honor  to 
his  memory.  With  Brother  George  A.  Peter,  Brother  Marley 


460  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

shared  the  honor  of  being  the  positive  living  element  connecting 
the  new  organization  with  the  old,  and  throughout  his  member- 
ship did  all  in  his  power  to  advance  the  prosperity  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Joseph  Pyle.  —  Joseph  Pyle,  the  present 
Great  Keeper  of  Wampum  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States,  was  born  in  the  township  of  Sunbury,  Pa.,  in  1826. 
When  but  three  weeks  old  his  parents  moved  to  Delaware, 
where,  at  the  age  of  17,  he  was  apprenticed  to  learn  the 
leather  trade.  He  afterwards  worked  as  a  journeyman  at  his 
trade,  and  evidently  used  his  brain  as  well  as  his  hands  in 
his  daily  toil,  because  several  valuable  patents  were  invented 
by  him  for  the  more  facile  manipulation  of  leather.  In  1847 
Brother  Pyle  was  adopted  in  Delaware  Tribe,  No.  I,  from  which 
he  withdrew  to  become  a  charter  member  of  Keokuk  Tribe, 
No.  3.  As  Vice .  Great  Incohonee  he  organized  the  Great 
Council  of  Delaware.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Great  Council 
of  the  United  States  in  1852,  and  in  1861  was  elected  Great 
Incohonee.  In  1874  he  was  elected  to  the  position  of  Great 
Keeper  of  Wampum  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  to  which  position  he 
has  been  unanimously  elected  at  every  succeeding  election. 
Brother  Pyle  is  Past  Grand  Master  and  Past  Grand  Patriarch 
of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  Past  Grand  Archon  of  the  Order  of  Hepta- 
sophs,  and  Past  Grand  Patriarch  of  the  Sons  of  Temperance. 
In  early  life  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  City  Council,  until 
the  pressing  demands  of  business  claimed  all  his  attention, 
when  he  declined  further  honors  in  that  direction.  For  the 
same  reason  he  has  repeatedly  declined  to  accept  the  nomina- 
tion for  Mayor  of  the  city.  He  has  also  been  mentioned  as  a 
candidate  for  the  Governor  of  the  State  of  Delaware.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  board  of  education  of  Wilmington.  Brother 
Pyle  is  a  Methodist,  and  has  been  superintendent  of  the  Sunday- 
school  for  30  years,  and  President  of  the  board  of  trustees 
for  26  years  of  St.  Paul's  M.  E.  Church.  Brother  Pyle 
is  President  of  the  C.  &  J.  Pyle  Co.,  manufacturers  of  patent 
leather,  of  Wilmington,  and,  as  a  member  of  this  firm,  has  built 
up  a  handsome  fortune.  From  the  day  of  his  admission  to  the 
Order  Brother  Pyle  has  been  an  active  worker  for  the  Red 
Men.  He  has  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  every  member  of 


BIO  GRAPHIES.  46 1 

the  Order  who  has  the  honor  and  pleasure  of  his  acquaintance. 
He  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  the  members  of  the  Great  Council 
of  the  United  States,  and  will  undoubtedly  remain  in  his  posi- 
tion as  long  as  he  cares  to  accept  an  election,  or  until  the 
Great  Spirit  in  his  wisdom  shall  call  him  from  the  hunting 
grounds  of  earth. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  A.  J.  Francis.  —  We  have  absolutely  no 
information  concerning  Brother  A.  J.  Francis  other  than  that 
he  was  admitted  into  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  at 
the  council  held  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  in  Corn  moon,  1857,  at 
which  time  he  was  reported  as  a  Past  Great  Sachem  of  Ken- 
tucky. At  the  council  held  at  Baltimore,  in  1863,  he  was 
elected  W.  G.  Incohonee.  He  resided  in  Covington,  Ky. 
Personally  he  was  modest  and  unassuming ;  but  his  recom- 
mendations as  Great  Incohonee  indicate  that  he  possessed 
firmness  of  character,  and  a  kind  and  generous  disposition. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Angus  Cameron.  —  Angus  Cameron  was 
adopted  into  Chattahoochee  Tribe,  No.  17,  in  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia, on  the  4th  of  Sturgeon  moon,  G.  S.  D.  368  (August  4, 
1859),  for  the  purpose  of  qualifying  him  to  become  one  of  the 
charter  members  of  Miquon  Tribe,  No.  50,  in  the  same  city, 
which  was  instituted  on  the  nth  of  the  same  moon,  at  which 
time  he  was  elected  its  first  Senior  Sagamore.  He  became  a 
member  of  the  Great  Council  of  Pennsylvania,  January  18,  1860, 
where  his  zeal,  devotion,  and  talents  at  once  marked  him  as 
destined  for  distinguished  honors  in  our  beloved  Order.  In 
1862  he  was  elected  Great  Senior  Sagamore  of  the  Great 
Council  of  Pennsylvania,  and  by  reason  of  the  absence  of  the 
Great  Sachem  of  that  Body  in  the  army,  Brother  Cameron  was 
required  to  perform  the  duties  of  that  position  for  nearly  two 
great  suns.  Brother  Cameron  withdrew  from  Miquon  Tribe, 
No.  50,  and  became  a  charter  member  of  Kawanio-Chee-Keteru 
Tribe,  No.  190,  at  its  institution  October  16,  1872.  He  con- 
tinued one  of  its  most  active  and  useful  members  until  his 
death.  Brother  Cameron  was  admitted  into  the  Great  Council 
of  the  United  States  in  1861,  and  in  September,  1864,  he  was 
elected  Great  Incohonee,  being  the  third  from  Pennsylvania  to 
receive  that  distinguished  honor.  He  died  January  18,  1879,  at 
Philadelphia,  Pa.  Brother  Cameron  was  a  man  of  unusual  forge 


462  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

of  character ;  possessed  of  enlarged  and  liberal  views,  of  great 
natural  ability,  of  wide  business  experience,  and  of  educational 
qualifications  of  a  high  order.  He  was  a  man  whose  judgment 
and  opinion  were  frequently  appealed  to  on  questions  of  doubt 
and  uncertainty.  He  was  ever  ready  and  willing  to  assist  and 
encourage  the  timid  and  retiring,  to  aid  in  bringing  out  the 
talent  of  those  whom  he  believed  to  be  of  good  intentions,  but 
he  most  heartily  despised  the  sham  and  pretender.  The  in- 
delible impress  of  his  mind  is  stamped  upon  many  of  our  laws 
and  our  legislation,  and  will  remain  as  long  as  our  council  fire 
continues  to  burn.  His  highest  ambition,  as  a  Red  Man,  was 
to  elevate  our  Order  to  a  higher  plane,  and  a  purer  moral 
atmosphere. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Thomas  A.  Bosley.  — Thomas  A.  Bosley 
was  born  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  February  8,  1817;  but  he  subse- 
quently removed  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  he  died  May  2, 
1888.  At  what  time  he  connected  himself  with  our  Order  we 
are  unable  to  state ;  but  the  records  show  that  he  was  for  many 
years  an  active  member  in  its  interests.  He  became  a  member 
of  Miami  Tribe,  No.  i,  of  Cincinnati,  and  held  membership 
therein  when  he  was  admitted  into  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States  at  the  council  held  in  1852,  and  was  elected 
Great  Incohonee  in  1865.  He  was  also  prominent  in  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and 
other  similar  organizations,  in  all  of  which  he  showed  the  energy 
and  enterprise  characteristic  of  him  as  a  man.  He  was  a  paper- 
hanger  and  house  decorator  by  trade,  and  as  such  established  a 
successful  business.  During  his  chieftaincy  as  Great  Incoho- 
nee an  act  of  incorporation,  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States,  was  obtained  from  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania,  the 
same  being  approved  by  Governor  Curtin  of  that  State,  March 
30,  1866.  Under  this  charter  authority  was  gained  not  before 
possessed  to  hold  the  councils  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  in  any  State 
it  saw  fit,  and  to  locate  its  principal  office  as  it  might  elect  within 
said  limits.  Brother  Bosley  died  of  inflammatory  rheumatism 
May  2,  1888,  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Joshua  Maris. — Joshua  Maris  was  born 
in  Willistown  Township,  Chester  Co.,  Pa.,  April  7,  1832,  and 
died  in  Wilmington,  Del.,  August  13,  1884.  He.  was  educated 


BIOGRAPHIES.  463 

at  the  Academy  at  Newark,  Del.,  in  the  schools  of  Wilmington, 
and  at  Dickinson  College,  Carlisle,  Pa.  Upon  completing  his 
studies,  he  pursued  the  profession  of  a  teacher  until  1856,  when 
he  studied  law  in  the  office  of  Chancellor  Daniel  M.  Bates  of 
Delaware,  and  was  admitted  to  the  Delaware  Bar  in  1859,  con- 
tinuing  the  practice  of  law  until  his  death.  In  1859  ne  was 
elected  Clerk  of  the  City  Council,  and  was  twice  re-elected  to 
the  same  position.  In  1863  he  was  elected  Mayor  of  Wilming- 
ton and  the  following  year  for  a  second  term.  In  1871  he  was 
elected  President  of  the  City  Council  for  two  years,  and  re- 
elected  to  the  same  position  for  a  second  term.  In  1872  he 
was  a  member  of  the  Legislature  from  New  Castle  County,  and 
served  on  several  important  committees.  He  was  admitted  in 
Keokuk  Tribe,  No.  3,  of  Wilmington,  April  28,  1853,  and  re- 
mained a  member  of  that  Tribe  until  March  26,  1868,  when  he 
withdrew  to  become  a  charter  member  of  Lenape  Tribe,  No.  6. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  Great  Council  of  Delaware  January  14, 
1856,  and  passed  through  the  various  chieftaincies  of  that  Great 
Council.  He  was  admitted  into  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States  September  10,  1862,  and  was  elected  Great  Inco- 
honee  September  n,  1866,  being  the  first  Great  Incohonee  to 
serve  two  successive  great  suns,  the  change  in  the  law  to  that 
effect  commencing  with  his  chieftaincy.  In  September,  1870, 
he  was  elected  Great  Chief  of  Records  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  which 
position  he  held  until  his  death,  which  occurred  August  13,  1884. 
He  was  prominent  in  other  fraternal  organizations,  but  the  Im- 
proved Order  of  Red  Men  received  the  largest  portion  of  his 
care  and  attention.  His  administration  of  public  and  fraternal 
duties  won  the  esteem  and  lasting  friendship  of  all  fortunate 
enough  to  associate  with  him. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  James  A.  Parsons. — James  A.  Parsons 
was  born  in  Atlantic  County,  N.J.,  April  16,  1837.  His  parents 
subsequently  removed  to  Medford,  N.J.,  and  in  1854  to  Cam- 
den,  where  Brother  Parsons  resided  and  grew  to  manhood.  In 
1860  he  went  to  Richmond,  Va.,  where  he  continued  in  the 
stove  and  tinware  business  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil 
War,  when,  from  his  open  and  expressed  Union  sentiments,  he 
was  compelled,  in  April,  1861,  to  leave  at  such  short  notice  that 
he  left  behind  him  his  business  and  other  effects.  He  returned 


464  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

to  Camden,  where  he  resided  until  1878,  when  he  removed  to 
Philadelphia,  his  present  abiding  place.  Brother  Parsons  was 
adopted  into  Leni  Lenape  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  New  Jersey,  June 
27,  1860,  being  elected  Chief  of  Records  December  30,  1863. 
Largely  through  his  earnest,  persistent,  personal  efforts  the 
apathy  then  existing  in  the  Tribe  was  removed,  and  it  now  has 
a  membership  of  over  800.  He  continued  Chief  of  Records 
until  his  election  as  Great  Sachem,  in  January,  1868.  He  con- 
tinued a  member  of  Leni  Lenape  Tribe  until  January,  1881, 
when  he  withdrew  and  became  a  member  of  Ottawa  Tribe,  No. 
15.  On  becoming  a  resident  of  Philadelphia,  he  withdrew  and 
joined  Moscosco  Tribe,  No.  34,  of  which  he  is  now  a  member. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  Great  Council  of  New  Jersey  in  1862, 
and  at  the  same  council  was  elected  Great  Chief  of  Records. 
He  passed  through  the  various  chieftaincies  of  the  Great  Coun- 
cil, which  at  that  time  contained  but  four  Tribes.  During  his 
term  as  Great  Sajehem,  three  Tribes  were  instituted  respectively 
at  Millville,  Bridgeton,  and  Camden,  in  the  latter  of  which  he 
became  a  member  by  card.  In  1865  he  was  admitted  to  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  and  was  elected  Great  In- 
cohonee  in  1868.  During  his  chieftaincy,  the  Order  was  intro- 
duced in  Alabama,  Nevada,  and  Oregon,  and  Great  Councils 
instituted  in  Texas,  Tennessee,  Indiana,  and  West  Virginia. 
Brother  Parsons  took  an  active  part  in  the  civil  affairs  of  the 
city  of  Camden,  serving  six  years  as  a  member  of  the  Common 
Council,  and  was  one  of  the  committee  on  building  the  City 
Hall.  He  is  prominent  in  other  organizations,  being  Past 
Grand  and  Past  Patriarch  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  Fraternity,  and  Past  Grand  Chancellor  of  the  Knights 
of  Pythias  of  New  Jersey. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  William  B.  Eckert.  —  William  B.  Eckert 
was  admitted  into  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  in 
1 86 1,  and  was  elected  Great  Incohonee  in  1870.  He  is  not 
now  connected  with  the  Order.  He  is  a  resident  of  the  city  of 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  James  P.  Riely.  —  James  P.  Riely  was 
born  at  Winchester,  Va.,  in  1841.  He  was  educated  at  the 
Winchester  Academy  and  at  Dickinson  College,  and  studied 
law  at  Lexington  University.  In  1861  he  entered  the  Con- 


BIOGRAPHIES.  465 

federate  service,  in  which  he  served  until  the  close  of  the  war. 
He  then  resumed  the  practice  of  law,  and  soon  won  for  himself 
a  position  of  honor  and  distinction  in  his  profession.  He  served 
as  Clerk  of  the  Court  of  Frederick  County  from  1871  until  July 
i,  1887,  when  his  health  became  impaired,  and  his  decline 
became  rapid  until  death  came  January  i,  1888.  Brother  Riely 
was  adopted  in  Shawnee  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  Winchester,  Va.,  May 
31,  1866,  and  passed  through  the  various  chieftaincies.  He 
was  elected  Great  Sachem  of  Virginia,  April  13,  1869,  and  was 
admitted  into  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  in  Sep- 
tember, 1870,  in  which  body  he  at  once  took  an  active  part  in 
shaping  the  business  and  legislation.  At  the  council  held  in 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  September,  1872,  he  was  elected  Great  Inco- 
honee.  After  the  expiration  of  his  service  as  Great  Incohonee, 
he  served  several  great  suns  as  Representative  of  the  Great 
Council  of  Virginia.  He  was  a  man  of  fine  physique,  of 
marked  ability,  fine  education,  commanding  person,  and  was  an 
eloquent  orator.  By  his  early  death  the  Order  and  community 
in  which  he  lived  lost  a  valuable  member. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  George  W.  Lindsay.  —  George  W.  Lind- 
say was  born  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  May  10,  1826,  his  parents 
having  moved  to  that  city  from  Fintnaugh,  Ireland,  the  pre- 
vious year.  He  attended  school  until  his  I5th  year,  at  which 
time  he  was  apprenticed  to  learn  the  printing  business  with 
John  Murphy,  a  well-known  resident  of  Baltimore,  with  whom 
he  served  five  years,  and  continued  five  years  after  his  ap- 
prenticeship had  expired.  In  1857,  by  reason  of  ill-health,  he 
abandoned  the  printing  business  and  started  a  real  estate  and 
collection  agency,  and  by  industry,  energy,  and  indomitable 
perseverance  succeeded  in  establishing  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful agencies  of  that  kind.  Brother  Lindsay  joined  Ottawa 
Tribe,  No.  16,  of  Baltimore,  November,  1849.  He  was  elected 
Great  Sachem  of  Maryland  in  1855,  and  was  admitted  into  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States  in  that  same  year.  He  was 
elected  Great  Incohonee  at  the  council  held  at  Indianapolis  in 
September,  1874.  Brother  Lindsay  may  truthfully  be  desig- 
nated an  active  member  of  the  Order,  as  his  membership  for 
over  40  years  will  prove.  He  is  also  active  in  other  organ- 
izations, being  Past  Grand  of  the  I.  O.  Q.  F.,  having  joined 


466  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

that  Order  in  1848,  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity  since 
1863,  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  since  1869,  and  Past 
Supreme  Chancellor  of  that  Order,  a  member  of  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men  since  1849,  and  a  member  of  the  Knights  of 
Honor  since  1878.  In  1871  Brother  Lindsay  was  elected  one 
of  the  Judges  to  the  Orphan's  Court  of  Baltimore,  and  has  held 
that  position  by  successive  re-election  down  to  the  present  time. 
No  better  indication  could  be  given  of  the  high  regard  in  which 
he  is  held  by  his  fellow-citizens.  His  decisions,  as  Judge  of 
that  Court,  have  been  sound,  wise,  and  considerate,  and  in  the 
direction  of  avoiding  rather  than  encouraging  litigation.  From 
the  researches  of  Brother  Lindsay  have  been  obtained  the  data 
upon  which  was  based  the  action  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  concerning 
the  first  epoch  in  the  History  of  our  Order,  tracing  the  origin 
to  the  Patriotic  Societies  previous  to  the  Revolution,  all  of 
which  has  been  fully  treated  in  this  History.  He  is  a  firm 
friend,  positive  in  his  convictions,  of  iron  will,  yet  courteous 
and  considerate  towards  those  with  whom  he  is  compelled  to 
differ.  He  is  among  the  most  prominent  and  efficient  public 
men  in  his  native  city. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Adam  Smith.  —  Adam  Smith  was  born 
in  Sembach,  Kingdom  of  Bavaria,  March  14,  1824.  At  the  age 
of  ten  he  came  to  America,  making  his  home  in  the  city  of 
Philadelphia,  where  his  early  life  was  passed,  and  where  he 
obtained  such  education  as  was  offered  in  the  public  schools  of 
Philadelphia,  further  improved  by  private  reading  and  study. 
Brother  Smith  became  a  member  of  Delaware  Tribe,  No.  10, 
the  precise  date  of  his  admission  we  cannot  give,  but  as  early  as 
1855,  he  left  Philadelphia  and  settled  at  Marysville,  Cal.,  where 
he  opened  a  hotel,  and  invested  largely  in  mining  enterprises  as 
well  as  ranching  and  stock  raising.  Not  meeting  with  the 
desired  success  he  removed  to  San  Francisco,  at  which  place  he 
has  since  lived,  and  where  he  has  made  for  himself  a  handsome 
fortune.  Very  soon  after  his  arrival  in  San  Francisco,  he 
assisted  in  the  organization  of  California  Tribe,  No.  i,  which 
was  instituted  in  1864.  At  that  time,  so  far  as  is  known, 
Brother  Smith  was  the  only  Past  Sachem  on  the  Pacific  coast. 
From  the  organization  of  California  Tribe,  until  the  Great 
Council  of  California  was  instituted,  he  held  the  position  of 


BIOGRAPHIES.  467 

Vice  Great  Incohonee,  and  he  devoted  his  time  and  money  and 
energy  to  the  establishment  of  the  Order  on  the  Pacific  slope. 
He  was  elected  Great  Sachem  of  the  Great  Council  at  its 
organization  in  1868,  and  was  chosen  its  first  Representative  to 
the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  into  which  body  he  was 
admitted  the  same  year.  At  the  Council  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  in 
1868,  he  was  elected  Great  Junior  Sagamore,  and  in  1870  was 
elected  Great  Senior  Sagamore,  in  1876,  Great  Incohonee,  and 
in  1882,  Great  Prophet,  thus  having  been  honored  with  every 
administrative  position  in  the  Great  Council.  Besides  the  work 
done  by  Brother  Smith  in  California  and  Oregon,  he  ably 
assisted  in  establishing  the  Order  also  in  Utah  and  Nevada. 
On  his  return  from  the  Council  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  at  which  he 
had  been  elected  Great  Incohonee,  he  was  given  a  reception  by 
the  Order  in  California.  Over  500  men  were  in  line,  and  the 
procession  marched  to  Red  Men's  Hall  where  a  formal  recep- 
tion was  held.  Large  delegations  from  the  different  Tribes 
were  in  attendance,  and  the  occasion  was  one  worthy  of  the 
Order,  and  of  the  distinguished  chief  thus  honored.  To  .write 
the  history  of  Adam  Smith  as  a  Red  Man,  would  be  to  write 
the  History  of  the  Order  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  for 
much  of  its  success  and  prosperity  in  that  section  of  the  coun- 
try is  due  largely  to  his  zeal  and  unbounded  generosity.  As  a 
token  of  the  affectionate  regard  felt  for  him  by  all  his  associates 
in  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  he  is  invariably  re- 
ferred to  as  "  Uncle  Adam  "  Smith,  and  his  genial  good-nature, 
his  generous  disposition,  and  his  sterling  worth  as  a  man,  bind 
him  by  the  ties  of  strongest  affection  to  all  who  know  him. 
While  he  has  passed  the  allotted  threescore  years  and  ten,  every 
friend  and  brother  of  Adam  Smith  unite  in  the  hope  that  he 
may  be  spared  to  our  Order  for  many  great  suns. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Morris  H.  Gorham.  —  Morris  H.  Gor- 
ham  was  born  in  the  city  of  New  York,  May  17,  1823.  In 
1835,  his  parents  removed  to  Catawissa,  Pa.  While  here  he 
improved  the  very  limited  facilities  for  getting  an  education. 
In  1840  the  family  removed  to  Minersville,  Pa.  When  old 
enough  to  learn  a  trade  he  was  apprenticed  to  learn  the  pattern- 
making  business,  in  which  he  acquired  a  reputation  for  industry, 
care,  and  close  attention  to  business.  In  1853  he  located 


468  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

permanently  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  for  a  short  time  work- 
ing at  his  trade.  In  1850  he  commenced  the  business  of  manu- 
facturing regalia  for  beneficial  organizations,  making  a  speciality 
of  that  for  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men.  In  the  meantime, 
he  had  been  adopted  into  Chattahoochee  Tribe,  No.  17,  January 
25,  1854,  and  he  continued  a  member  of  this  Tribe  until  his 
death.  From  the  time  of  his  adoption  he  took  an  earnest 
interest  in.  the  symbolism  and  mysteries  of  the  organization, 
and  to  him,  as  much  as  to  any  other  one  man,  is  due  the  sym- 
metry and  beauty  of  our  present  ritualistic  work.  He  was 
admitted  into  the  Great  Council  of  Pennsylvania  in  1854,  and 
subsequently  passed  through  the  various  chieftaincies  of  that 
body,  being  elected  Great  Chief  of  Records  in  1857,  and  serv- 
ing until  1864,  when  he  was  elected  Great  Sachem.  In  1865 
he  was  admitted  into  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States 
where  he  soon  won  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  his  colleagues. 
He  was  elected  Great  Prophet  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  in  1862,  and 
Great  Chief  of  Records  in  1866,  serving  for  four  great  suns, 
when  he  was  succeeded  by  P.  G.  I.  Joshua  Maris.  In  1878  he 
was  elected  Great  Incohonee.  In  the  Great  Qouncil  of  the 
United  States,  Brother  Gorham  served  on  each  of  the  impor- 
tant committees  at  different  times,  and  the  imprint  of  his  work 
and  ability  is  seen  upon  nearly  every  page  of  the  records  of  the 
G.  C.  U.  S.  He  was  author  of  a  History  of  the  Order,  to 
which  reference  has  been  made  in  these  pages,  and  it  is  due 
to  his  researches  that  we  have  been  able  to  treat  so  fully  of  the 
second  epoch  in  the  History  of  the  Order.  He  died  very  sud- 
denly March  15,  1883.  Every  possible  mark  of  respect  was 
shown  to  his  memory  by  the  Great  Council  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  the  funeral  ceremonies  were  attended  by  a  large  number  of 
prominent  members  of  the  Order.  At  the  grave,  Past  Great 
Incohonee  Joseph  Pyle  officiated  as  Sachem,  and  Past  Great 
Incohonee  Charles  H.  Litchman  as  Prophet,  in  the  beautiful 
ceremony  of  our  Order. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Charles  H.  Litchman.  —  Charles  H. 
Litchman  was  born  in  Marblehead,  Mass.,  April  8,  1849.  He 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  town,  and  has 
held  various  offices  therein  by  election  and  appointment,  and 
has  also  represented  the  town  in  the  Legislature  of  the  State. 


BIOGRAPHIES.  469 

Brother  Litchman  became  interested  in  the  Improved  Order  of 
Red  Men  from  a  visit  made  to  Providence,  R.I.,  in  April,  1872. 
On  his  return  to  Marblehead  he  induced  eight  others  to  accom- 
pany him  to  Providence,  where  on  July  19,  1872,  they  were 
adopted  in  Miantonomah  Tribe,  No.  3,  of  that  city.  He  became 
a  charter  member  of  Manataug  Tribe,  No.  I,  of  Marblehead,  at 
its  institution  August  I,  1872,  being  elected  the  first  Senior 
Sagamore  of  the  Tribe.  When  the  Great  Council  of  Massachu- 
setts was  formed  December  23,  1873,  he  was  elected  Great 
Sachem,  and  was  re-elected  to  that  position  in  August,  1874. 
He  was  admitted  into  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  at 
the  Council  held  at  Indianapolis,  September,  1874,  was  elected 
Great  Junior  Sagamore  in  1876,  Great  Senior  Sagamore  in  1878, 
and  Great  Incohonee  in  1880.  He  declined  to  be  a  candidate 
for  Great  Prophet  in  opposition  to  Past  Great  Incohonee  Adam 
Smith,  but  was  elected  to  that  position  subsequently  in  1884. 
From  his  entrance  into  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States, 
he  served  on  important  committees,  the  most  recent  of  which 
is  the  Committee  on  Revision,  by  which  the  Constitution  and 
Digest  of  the  Order  have  been  revised,  and  by  which  the 
ritual  for  the  adoption  ceremony  has  been  perfected,  and  the 
degrees  of  the  Order  are  now  being  also  amended.  Brother 
Litchman  is  a  member  of  several  fraternities,  being  a  Past 
Grand  and  Past  Chief  Patriarch  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  a  member  of 
the  Knights  of  Pythias,  a  member  of  Amity  Lodge  of  Danvers, 
and  St.  Andrew's  Chapter  of  Boston,  Mass.,  of  the  Masonic 
Fraternity,  Past  Regent  of  the  Royal  Arcanum,  Past  Noble 
Commander  of  the  Golden  Cross,  and  Past  Grand  Commander  of 
the  American  Legion  of  Honor,  etc. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  George  B.  Colflesh.  —  George  B.  Col- 
flesh  was  born  in  Chester  County,  Pa.,  March  16,  1826.  He 
received  a  common-school  education  in  his  native  State,  and  in 
early  manhood  removed  to  Baltimore,  where  he  obtained  the 
position  of  foreman  in  a  large  carriage  factory.  In  a  few 
years  he  established  a  business  for  himself,  and  by  close  atten- 
tion and  strict  integrity  built  up  a  large  and  profitable  trade. 
Brother  Colflesh  joined  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  in 
Pocahontas  Tribe,  No.  3,  in  1849,  anc^  passed  through  various 
chieftaincies  of  his  Tribe,  and  in  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland. 


470  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

In  the  Great  Council  of  his  State  he  served  on  many  important 
committees  and  was  active  in  whatever  would  advance  the  mter- 
ests  and  prosperity  of  the  Order.  He  took  an  active  part  in 
the  erection  of  Red  Men's  Hall,  of  which  he  was  a  trustee. 
Brother  Colflesh  was  admitted  to  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States  in  1858,  and  passed  successively  through  the 
chieftaincies  until  he  became  Great  Incohonee  in  1882,  and 
Great  Prophet  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  in  18-86.  When  the  Chief- 
tains' League  was  organized  Brother  Colflesh  took  an  active 
part  in  the  organization,  and  was  elected  Supreme  Treasurer 
in  1890.  Brother  Colflesh  was  modest  and  unassuming  in  his 
manner,  and  endeared  himself  to  those  who  knew  him  more  by 
the  sterling  worth  of  his  character  than  by  any  exploitation  of 
his  own  personality. 

P.  S.  Just  as  this  History  was  going  to  press,  intelligence  was 
received  of  the  death  of  Past  Great  Incohonee  Colflesh,  July  28, 
1893.  His  funeral  took  place  on  the  2Qth  of  July,  and  was 
attended  by  Past  Great  Incohonees  Pyle,  Baker,  Lindsay,  and 
Conway,  and  by  a  large  number  of  citizens  and  members  of  the 
Order,  and  of  the  fraternities  and  organizations  to  which  he 
belonged  in  the  city  of  Baltimore. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  William  H.  Hyronemus.  —  William  H. 
Hyronemus  was  born  in  the  city  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  April  6, 
1842.  In  his  infancy  his  parents  removed  to  Nashville,  Term., 
which  has  been  since  his  home.  He  has  identified  himself  with 
the  interests  of  that  city  in  every  possible  way,  and  holds  a  posi- 
tion of  influence  in  the  trust  and  confidence  of  his  fellow-citizens. 
To  the  early  education  of  the  public  schools,  he  supplemented  a 
self-education  gained  in  the  experience  of  manhood  and  by  a 
course  of  private  reading,  and  the  position  of  affluence  which  he 
enjoys  is  due  entirely  to  his  own  energy  and  perseverance.  He 
joined  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  in  1867,  and  has  ever 
been  an  active  worker  in  his  Tribe  and  in  the  Order.  He  was 
Chief  of  Records  of  the  Tribe  for  many  years,  and  also  served 
as  Great  Chief  of  Records  of  Tennessee,  from  the  date  of  his 
admission,  1875,  until  1876,  when  he  was  elected  Great  Sachem. 
After  completing  his  service  as  Great  Sachem,  he  was  re-elected 
as  Great  Chief  of  Records,  and  continued  in  that  chieftaincy  until 
1890,  when  he  declined  further  to  be  a  candidate  for  re-election. 


BIOGRAPHIES.  471 

In  1877  he  was  admitted  to  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States,  and  was  elected  Great  Junior  Sagamore  in  1880,  Great 
Senior  Sagamore  in  1882,  and  Great  Incohonee  in  1884,  and  is 
at  present  chairman  on  the  Committee  on  Finance  of  the  G.  C. 
U.  S.  He  is  a  member  of  other  organizations,  and  has  served 
several  terms  as  a  member  of  the  City  Council  in  his  city.  He 
enjoys  the  esteem  and  respect  of  all  who  know  him  as  a  good  man, 
a  genial  companion,  a  generous  friend,  and  a  stanch  supporter 
of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Ralph  S.  Gregory.  —  Ralph  S.  Gregory 
was  born  in  Delaware  County,  Ind.,  February  28,  1846.  He 
lived  upon  a  farm  until  15  years  old,  when  he  entered  the  High 
School  at  Muncie,  Ind/  He  then  entered  the  preparatory 
department  of  Wabash  College,  where  he  continued  until  1862, 
when  he  entered  the  army  as  a  private  soldier  in  Company  B., 
84th  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry.  He  remained  in  the  army 
about  two  years,  when,  on  account  of  failing  health,  he  was  hon- 
orably discharged  at  Shell  Mound,  Tenn.,  having  attained  the 
rank  of  Orderly  Sergeant.  On  returning  home,  having  regained 
his  health,  he  returned  to  College  and  remained  through  the 
junior  year.  He  then  entered  Asbury  University  under  the 
control  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  This  university  is  now  known  as 
the  De  Pauw  University.  He  graduated  with  honors  in  the 
class  of  1867,  and  then  took  charge  of  the  Huntington  High 
School,  where  he  continued  as  teacher  and  instructor  for  two 
years.  He  then  studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1869,  and  has  since  won  an  enviable  reputation  in  his  chosen 
profession  of  the  law.  He  has  a  pleasing  address,  and  presents 
his  arguments  not  only  with  logic  but  with  rhetorical  finish. 
He  is  a  Knight  Templar  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  He  is  a  charter  member  of 
De  Ember  Tribe,  No.  30,  of  Muncie,  Ind.  He  passed  through 
the  various  chieftaincies  of  his  Tribe,  and  in  due  time  was 
elected  Great  Sachem  of  Indiana.  He  was  admitted  into  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States  in  1879,  was  appointed 
Great  Mishinewa  in  1880,  elected  Great  Junior  Sagamore  in 
1882,  Great  Senior  Sagamore  in  1884,  Great  Incohonee  in 
1886,  and  Great  Prophet  in  1888.  He  is  at  the  present  time  a 
Representative  to  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  from  Indiana.  Brother  Greg- 


472  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

ory,  by  his  ability  and  genial  good-nature,  is  one  of  the  influen- 
tial and  highly  respected  members  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Charles  C.  Conley.  —  Charles  C.  Conley 
enjoys  the  distinction  of  being  the  only  brother  of  the  Order 
upon  whom  was  conferred  the  rank  and  honor  of  Past  Great 
Incohonee,  without  having  served  as  presiding  chief  of  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  Brother  Conley  was  born 
in  the  village  of  Milton,  Sussex  Co.,  Del.,  November  9,  1833. 
He  is  a  descendant  of  old  Revolutionary  stock,  his  grandfather 
being  Major  in  the  Revolutionary  Army,  and  his  father  in  the 
coast  service,  and  he  himself,  with  honor  in  the  late  Civil  War. 
In  early  life  his  parents  removed  to  Philadelphia,  which  has 
since  been  his  home.  His  education  was  received  in  the  public 
schools  of  Philadelphia,  but  circumstances  compelled  him  to 
engage  in  earning  his  own  livelihood  at  an  early  age.  Brother 
Conley  was  adopted  in  Shawnese  Tribe,  No.  8,  of  Philadelphia, 
July,  1856.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Great  Council  of  Pennsyl- 
vania in  1858.  November  9,  1858,  he  withdrew  from  Shawnese 
Tribe,  and  became  a  charter  member  of  Chippewa  Tribe,  No. 
51,  in  which  he  has  since  held  active  membership.  He  passed 
through  the  various  chieftaincies  of  the  Great  Council  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  was  then  elected  Great  Chief  of  Records  in  May, 
1878,  and  filled  that  chieftaincy  for  ten  consecutive  years. 
Brother  Conley  was  present  at  the  Council  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 
for  the  first  time,  as  Past  Great  Sachem,  in  1870,  and  subse- 
quently as  a  Representative  from  the  Great  Council  of  Pennsyl- 
vania at  the  Council  held  in  1877.  In  1884  he  was  elected 
Great  Chief  of  Records  of 'the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States,  which  chieftaincy  he  now  holds.  At  the  Council  held 
at  Boston,  Mass.,  September,  1890,  by  unanimous  vote  of  the 
Great  Council,  the  honors  and  title  of  Past  Great  Incohonee 
were  conferred  upon  Brother  Conley  "for  meritorious  service." 
This  is  the  only  instance  in  the  history  of  the  Order,  but  fol- 
lows the  analogy  of  conferring  the  honor  of  Past  Sachem  upon 
the  Chief  of  Records  of  a  Tribe,  after  five  consecutive  years 
of  faithful  service.  Brother  Conley  has  been  a  prominent 
figure  in  the  Order  for  the  last  25  great  suns,  and  holds 
this  prominence  by  his  merit  as  a  Chief,  his  ability  as  a  man, 


BIOGRAPHIES.  473 

his  fidelity  as  a  friend,  and  his  unswerving  loyalty  to  the 
Order. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Thomas  J.  Francis.  — Thomas  J.  Francis 
is  a  resident  of  Camden,  N.J.,  although  he  was  born  in  Phila- 
delphia, May  6,  1831.  He  resided  in  Philadelphia  until  1850, 
when  he  made  Camden  his  permanent  home,  with  the  exception 
of  a  few  years  that  he  lived  at  Wilmington,  Del.  After  faithful 
service  in  his  own  reservation,  he  was  admitted  into  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States  in  1866.  He  was  elected  Great 
Senior  Sagamore  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  in  1887,  to  fill  a  vacancy, 
and  Great  Incohonee  in  1888.  During  his  chieftaincy  a  re- 
markable prosperity  was  manifested  in  the  Order,  there  having 
been  a  gain  of  31,000  in  the  membership  during  the  two  years 
he  held  that  chieftaincy.  In  1890  he  was  elected  Great  Prophet, 
in  which  chieftaincy  he  served  until  the  Council  of  Atlanta,  Ga., 
in  September,  1892.  Brother  Francis  is  a  member  of  Leni 
Lenape  Tribe,  No.  2,  of  Camden,  N.J.,  into  which  Tribe  he 
was  adopted  in  1852,  thus  having  been  a  member  of  the  Order 
for  more  than  forty  years.  He  has  ever  taken  a  prominent 
part  in  all  matters  concerning  the  Order,  both  in  the  Tribe  in 
which  he  is  a  member  and  in  the  Great  Council  of  his  reserva- 
tion. He  has  represented  his  Great  Council  in  the  G.  C.  U.  S. 
many  times.  In  private  life  Brother  Francis  is  a  respected 
citizen,  and  has  won  the  confidence  and  respect  of  his  friends 
and  neighbors.  Brother  Francis  still  takes  an  active  and  earnest 
interest  in  the  Order,  and  is  never  weary  of  well-doing  when 
he  can  advance  its  interests,  or  do  anything  to  increase  its 
prosperity. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  Thomas  K.  Donnalley.  —  Thomas  K. 
Donnalley  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  October  20,  1838.  He 
received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  that  city.  On 
leaving  school  he  learned  the  business  of  cutting,  and  followed 
this  occupation  until  1857,  when  he  established  the  business  of 
furnishing  goods  for  fraternal  societies,  in  which  he  has  been 
actively  engaged  from  that  time.  Brother  Donnalley  was 
adopted  in  Pequod  Tribe,  No.  18,  on  April  19,  1860,  since 
which  time  he  has  held  a  chieftaincy  of  some  kind  in  the  Order, 
thus  proving  his  active  interest  and  zeal.  He  was  admitted  to 
the  Great  Council  of  Pennsylvania  in  January,  1864,  and  in  the 


474  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

deliberations  of  that  body  has  always  taken  an  active  and  prom- 
inent part.  His  administration  as  Great  Sachem  of  Pe;insyl- 
vania  was  one  of  marked  success.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States  in  1866,  and  at  once  took 
an  active  and  prominent  part  in  the  legislation  of  that  body. 
When  Brother  Conley  declined  further  re-election  as  Great 
Chief  of  Records  of  Pennsylvania,  Brother  Donnalley  was 
elected  to  the  position,  and  has  ably  filled  that  chieftaincy  from 
then  until  the  present  time.  Brother  Donnalley  served  with 
honor  during  the  late  Civil  War.  He  is  a  member  of  nearly  all 
the  fraternal  organizations  of  the  United  States,  but  to  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  gives  the  greater  part  of  his 
energy  and  ability.  Brother  Donnalley  was  elected  Great 
Junior  Sagamore  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  in  1886,  Great  Senior  Saga- 
more in  1888,  Great  Incohonee  in  1890,  and  Great  Prophet  in 
1892,  which  latter  position  he  now  holds.  He  is  also  Chairman 
of  the  Committee  on  Revision,  and  has  done  efficient  work  in 
the  latest  revision  of  the  Constitution  and  adoption  ceremony 
of  the  Order.  He  has  the  appointment  of  Exemplifier  from  the 
present  Great  Incohonee,  and  in  that  capacity  he  has  exemplified 
the  work  of  the  Order  in  many  reservations.  Brother  Donnalley 
is  an  active  worker,  a  stanch  friend,  a  faithful  member  of 
society,  and  a  true  Red  Man. 


CHAPTER    XL 

REVISED    DIGEST    OF    THE    DECISIONS,    LAWS,    ETC.,    OF    THE 
GREAT    COUNCIL    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES. 

AMENDMENTS. 
CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  GREAT  COUNCIL  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

1.  This  Constitution  shall  not  be  altered,  amended,  or  repealed,  unless  the 
proposition  for  that  purpose  be  presented  in  writing,  signed  by  representatives 
of  three  Great  Councils,  and  lie  over  for  one  great  sun,  and  then  receive  the 
assent  of  two-thirds  of  those  present  and  entitled  to  vote ;  provided,  action 
upon  a  proposition  to  amend  any  of  the  laws  may  be  taken  at  the  same  coun- 
cil at  which  it  is  submitted,  if  seven-eighths  agree  to  the  same. 

BY-LAWS  OF  THE  GREAT  COUNCIL  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

2.  No  alteration  or  amendments  to  these  By-Laws  shall  be  made  unless 
presented  at  a  great  sun's  council,  signed  by  representatives  from  three  Great 
Councils,  read  upon  three  separate  suns,  and  then  adopted  by  two-thirds  of 
the  representatives  present. 

GENERAL  LAWS  FOR  GREAT  COUNCILS. 

3.  Any  amendment,  alteration,  or  addition  to  these  General  Laws  shall  be 
proposed  in  writing  and  acted  upon  as  prescribed  in  Article  XIX  of  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  —  General  Law. 

4.  Propositions  to  amend  the  laws  must  be  signed  by  representatives  from 
at  least  three  Great  Councils.  —  IX,  73. 

APPEALS. 

5.  All  appeals  taken  from  the  action  of  a  State  Great  Council,  or  a  Tribe 
working  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States,  to  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  as  hereinafter  provided  for, 
shall  be  received  and  passed  upon ;  but  in  all  cases  the  action  or  decision  of 
a  State  Great  Council  or  the  Tribe  shall  be  final  and  conclusive  until  reversed 
by  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  except  where  the  sentence  involves 
expulsion  from  the  Order. 

6.  An  appeal  may  be  taken  from  the  action  or  decision  of  a  Tribe  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council   of  the  United  States   to   the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States  by  any  member  or  person  who  thinks  his  rights 
have  been  denied  by  such  decision  or  action,  upon  giving  written  notice  and 

475 


476  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

'filing  said  appeal  within  one  moon  from  the  date  of  said  action  of  appeal,  and 
provided,  that  a  copy  of  the  appeal  has  been  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Great 
Incohonee,  with  proof  that  the  Tribe  has  received  due  notice. 

7.  Members  of  Tribes  may  appeal  from  the  action  of  a  State  Great  Council, 
provided  two  copies  of  the  appeal  have  been  presented,  mailed  or  sent  to  the 
Great  Sachem,  not  less  than  twenty  suns  prior  to  the  kindling  of  the  council 
fire  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States ;  and  the  Great  Sachem  shall 
certify,  under  seal  of  his  Great  Council  (on  each  of  the  copies),  the  date  that 
he  received  the  appeal  and  forthwith  send  one  to  the  appellant,  who  shall 
immediately  send  it  to  the  Great  Incohonee,  who  shall  report  its  reception  to 
the  Great  Council.    All  appeals  from  the  action  of  a  State  Great  Council  must 
be  made  so  that  they  can  be  acted  upon  at  the  council  following  the  decision 
or  action  taken,  and  a  failure  to  do  so  shall  be  a  bar  to  all  further  proceed- 
ings ;  provided,  the  council  of  said  State  Great  Council  is  not  held  within  the 
time  mentioned  above.  —  Art.  XVII,  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

8.  Appeals  that  are  made  from  the  action  of  a  State  Great  Council  or  a 
Tribe  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  which 
set  forth  that  the  grievance  is  a  violation  of  law,  and  not  brought  about 
through  informalities  as  laid  down  in  the  Code  of  Procedure,  may  be  acted 
upon  by  the  Great  Incohonee,  provided  that  copies  of  said  appeals  have  been 
served  upon  the  legal  authorities.  —  IX,  23. 

9.  It  is  the  imperative  duty  of  every  Great  Sachem  to  certify  that  he  has 
received  an  appeal ;  it  is  also  the  duty  of  Chiefs  of  Tribes  to  certify  that  an 
appeal  has  been  received,  provided  said  appeal  is  couched  in  respectful  lan- 
guage. —  IV,  198. 

10.  An  appeal,  not  accompanied  by  evidence  that  the  law  has  been  com- 
plied with,  shall  be  dismissed.  —  IV,  402. 

1 1 .  Appeals  from  questions  of  law  shall  be  referred  to  the  Judiciary  Com- 
mittee.—  IV,  63. 

12.  A  Chief  of  Records  has  no  authority  to  make  out  an  appeal  to  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States  from  the  action  of  the  Great  Council  of 
his  State,  without  specific  instructions  from  his  Tribe  in  regular  council,  and 
no  subsequent  action  of  the  Tribe  can  remedy  the  defect.  —  VI,  172. 

13.  The  ruling  of  a  Great  Sachem  can  be  challenged  only  by  an  appeal 
taken  in  regular  form,  and  is  in  no  particular  affected  by  a  protest.  — V,  165. 

14.  Where  there  is  a  State  Great  Council,  a  brother  cannot  appeal  from 
the  action  of  his  Tribe  to  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  until  the 
case  has  been  heard  and  determined  by  the  State  Great  Council.  —  II,  251. 

15.  Speaking  of  the  character  of  the  appellant  is  not  in  order  during  the 
consideration  of  an  appeal.  —  III,  357. 

1 6.  In  all  reports  of  the  Committee  on  Appeals  and  Grievances  there  shall 
be  a  clear  and  sufficient  statement  of  the  matters  at  issue,  so  as  to  obviate  the 
necessity  of  reading  all  the  papers  in  each  case.  —  IV,  134. 

17.  A  brother  feeling  that  injustice  has  been  done  him  by  a  Tribe  shall 
appeal  to  the  Great  Sachem  of  the  reservation  within  two  moons  from  the 
date  of  the  notice  of  the  action  of  the  Tribe,  stating  distinctly  and  specifically 


REVISED  DIGEST.  477 

the  reason  or  reasons  he  may  have  for  believing  the  wrong  has  been  done 
him.  He  shall  be  required,  however,  first  to  serve  a  copy  of  the  appeal  upon 
the  Tribe,  of  which  service  due  proof  shall  be  furnished  the  Great  Sachem. 
As  soon  as  the  Great  Sachem  has  received  an  appeal  in  proper  form,  he  shall, 
within  one  seven  suns,  notify  the  Tribe,  and  the  Chief  of  Records  shall  imme- 
diately deliver  to  the  Great  Sachem  the  journal  of  the  committee  by  which 
the  case  was  tried,  together  with  the  testimony  taken  before  it  and  copies  of 
the  records  of  all  the  council  sleeps  containing  matter  relating  thereto  and  all 
papers  connected  therewith,  signed  by  the  Sachem  and  Chief  of  Records, 
under  seal.  Should  the  Tribe  neglect  or  refuse  to  comply  herewith,  it  shall 
be  sufficient  cause  for  its  suspension. 

1 8.  The  Great  Sachem  shall  refer  all  documents  and  papers  to  such  com- 
mittee as  the  laws  of  the  State  Great  Council  may  designate.  —  Code  of  Pro- 
cedure. 

APPEALS  AS  REGARDS  BENEFITS. 

19.  Should  any  person  feel  aggrieved  at  the  action  of  a  Tribe  for  failing  to 
pay  benefits  that  may  be  claimed  to  be  due,  such  person  shall  appeal  from 
said  action  by  giving  the  Tribe  notice  thereof  within  twenty  suns  after  said 
action,  whereupon  the  Sachem  shall,  without  delay,  appoint  a  suitable  mem- 
ber of  the  Order  as  a  commissioner  to  take  such  testimony  as  either  party 
may  offer  in  relation  to  the  case. 

20.  The  commissioner  shall,  within  twenty  suns,  proceed  to  take  the  testi- 
mony, giving  each  party  ten  suns1  notice  of  the  time  and  place  of  meeting  for 
that  purpose.     The  Sachem  shall  represent  the  Tribe,  which  may  be  repre- 
sented also  by  counsel.     The  aggrieved  party  may  appear  in  person  and  may 
also  be  represented  by  counsel.     All  testimony  must  be  taken  down  fully  by 
the  commissioner  and  signed  by  the  witnesses  after  being  fully  read  to  them, 
and  should  objections  be  made  to  the  examination  of  any  witness,  or  to  any 
question,  or  to  any  testimony  offered,  he  shall  note  the  same,  and  he  shall 
give  ample  time  and  opportunity  to  both  parties  to  present  witnesses,  and  for 
them  to  testify.     All  testimony  shall  be  written  in  ink. 

21.  After  taking  all  the  testimony  the  parties  may  offer,  the  commissioner 
shall  immediately  report  to  the  Tribe,  whereupon  the  Chief  of  Records  shall 
notify  the  aggrieved  party  that  the  subject  will  be  considered  at  the  next 
council  of  the  Tribe,  at  which  time  the  Tribe  shall  consider  it,  when  all  the 
evidence  in  the  case  shall  be  read  and  the  claim  finally  determined. 

22.  After  final  action  shall  have  been  had  by  the  Tribe,  the  Chief  of  Records 
shall  immediately  notify  the  aggrieved  party  of  the  action  of  the  Tribe.     If 
the  Tribe  should  still  refuse  to  pay  the  benefits  claimed,  then  the  aggrieved 
party  shall  appeal  to  the  State  Great  Council  at  any  time  within  twenty  suns 
from  the  date  of  the  notice,  by  filing  an  appeal  with  the  Tribe ;  otherwise  the 
action  of  the  Tribe,  at  the  expiration  of  the  time,  shall  be  final  and  conclusive. 

23.  When  an  appeal  from  the  action  of  the  Tribe  has  been  filed,  the  Tribe, 
through  the  Chief  of  Records,  shall,  without  delay,  transmit  the  appeal  to  the 
Great  Sachem,  together  with  the  testimony  taken  by  the  commissioner,  ex- 


478  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

tracts  from  the  records  of  the  Tribe  of  all  proceedings,  and  all  other  papers 
and  documents  relating  to  the  case  which  were  offered  in  evidence  in  the  case 
when  before  the  Tribe,  and  which  alone  shall  be  examined  by  the  parties 
authorized  by  the  laws  to  hear  appeals. 

24.  Should  the  Tribe  neglect  or  refuse  to  appoint  a  commissioner  within 
two  seven  suns  after  receiving  notice  of  an  appeal,  or  shall  neglect  to  send  the 
appeal  and  papers  to  the  Great  Sachem  within  one  moon  after  the  filing  of  the 
appeal,  it  shall.be  sufficient  cause  for  the  Great  Sachem  to  reverse  the  action 
of  the  Tribe,  and  direct  it  to  pay  the  benefits.     Provided,  that  the  Tribe  shall 
have  the  right  to  appeal  to  the  Great  Council  from  the  action  of  the  Great 
Sachem.     Provided,  further,  that  the  amount  of  wampum  claimed  shall  be 
placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum  until  the  case  is  finally 
settled. 

25.  An  appeal  of  a  Tribe  from  the  action  of  a  Board  or  Committee  on 
Appeals  shall  not  be  entertained  unless  the  Tribe  has  obeyed  the  mandate  of 
the  Great  Sachem  or  Great  Council,  and  the  amount  of  wampun  involved  has 
been  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum  to  be  held  until 
the  case  has  been  finally  settled  tinder  the  laws  of  the  Order.  —  Code  of 
Procedure. 

DUTIES  OF  COMMISSIONER. 

26.  A  commissioner  is  only  a  ministerial  officer.     He  has  no  power  to  make 
a  ruling.     His  duty  is  to  enter  in  his  journal  what  is  offered,  and  leave  to  the 
Tribe  and  to  the  authorized  committee  to  pass  upon  the  relevancy  or  irrele- 
vancy of  what  is  offered. 

I.  The  commissioner  must  give  the  party  presenting  the  appeal  at  least 
ten  suns1  notice  in  writing  of  the  time  and  place  of  the  meeting. 

II.  The  party  presenting  the  appeal  shall,  at  the  time  and  place  appointed 
by  the  commissioner,  present  his  witnesses.     There  shall  be  no  one  present 
at  the  time  of  the  hearing  except  the  parties  and  the  one  witness  under  exam- 
ination while  the  testimony  is  being  taken. 

III.  Counsel  representing  either  party  must  be  a  member  of  the  Order  in 
good  standing,  and  shall  present  a  certificate  to  that  effect. 

IV.  After  the  appellant  is  through  with  his  witnesses,  the  witnesses  for  the 
Tribe  shall  be  presented. 

V.  All  objections  made  to  the  testimony  of  witnesses  by  either  party  shall 
be  noted  on  the  records  by  the  commissioner,  who  shall  then  proceed  to  take 
down  the  testimony  as  if  no  objections  had  been  made. 

VI.  New  evidence  may  be  introduced  after  the  case  has  been  closed  on 
either  side,  if  there  be  reasons  for  so  doing.     Such  new  evidence  need  not  be 
confined  to  that  which  is  merely  rebuttal.     The  tribunal  that  decides  the  case 
finally  must  exercise  its  discretion  as  to  the  evidence  thus  presented.  — Code 
of  Procedure. 

APPROPRIATIONS. 

27.  The  object  for  which  Tribes  are  chartered  is  to  raise  wampum,  from 
the  fees  for  adoptions  and  degrees,  and  from  dues  from  members,  for  mutual 


REVISED  DIGEST. 


479 


relief  in  cases  of  sickness  or  other  disabilities  for  which  the  laws  may  provide. 
It  is,  therefore,  improper  to  appropriate  such  wampum  for  any  other  purpose 
than  relief,  and  the  necessary  expenses  for  conducting  the  legitimate' business 
of  the  Tribe.  —  V,  373,  428. 

28.  A  Tribe  has  no  right  to  appropriate  or  donate  in  any  way  wampum 
toward  paying  the  adoption  fee  of  a  paleface.  —  V,  423,  434. 

29.  Funds  paid  into  the  wampum  belt  of  a  Tribe  are  for  the  purpose  of 
relieving  the  sick  or  distressed,  the  burial  of  the  dead,  the  education  of  the 
orphan,  and  the  assistance  of  the  widow,  and  to  pay  the  legitimate  expenses 
of  the  Tribe,  and  cannot  be  appropriated  from  the  belt  to  pay  the  expenses 
of  balls,  suppers,  or  collations,  or  any  other  social  purposes.  —  VI,  165,  185. 

ARREARS. 

30.  Unless  by-laws  otherwise  provide,  the  mere  fact  that  a  member  is  in 
arrears  to  such  an  extent  as  to  deprive  him  of  the  password  does  not  of  itself 
deprive  him  of  his  right  to  vote  when  in  the  council  chamber.  — V,  257,  329. 

31 .  A  member  has  the  right  to  attend  the  councils  of  his  Tribe,  even  though 
he  may  not  be  entitled  to  the  password,  and  can  do  so  until  he  is  suspended 
for  non-payment  of  dues.  —  III,  224. 

32.  Members  in  arrears  may  attend  Tribal  councils  as  long  as  they  can 
communicate  the  universal  password  and  explanation.  —  III,  190,  224,  245. 

ASSESSMENTS. 

33.  A  Tribe  has  not  the  right  to  make  an  assessment  on  the  members 
except  as  laid  down  in  the  By-Laws.  — V,  371,  428. 

APPLICATION  FOR  AID. 

34.  No  application  for  pecuniary  aid  can  be  circulated,  unless  permission 
is  received  from  the  proper  authorities.  —  Vol.  VII. 

AUTHORITY. 

35.  The  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  is  the  source  of  all  true  and 
legitimate  authority  over  the  Order  wheresoever  established  ;  it  possesses,  as 
such,  supreme  and  absolute  power  and  jurisdiction  :  — 

I.  To  establish,  regulate,  and  control  the  forms,  ceremonies,  written  and 
unwritten  work  of  the  Order,  and  to  change,  alter,  and  annul  the  same,  and  to 
provide  for  the  safe  keeping  and   uniform  teaching   and   dissemination  of 
the  same. 

II.  To  provide,  publish,  print,  and  furnish  all  rituals,  forms,  ceremonies, 
cards,  odes,  charters,  charts,  and  certificates. 

III.  To  prescribe  the  form,  material,  and  color  of  all  regalia,  emblems,  jewels, 
and  such  blanks  as  may  be  used  by  the  Order. 

IV.  To  provide  for  the  emanation  and  distribution  of  all  passwords,  and  to 
regulate  the  mode  and  manner  of  using  the  same  ;  and  generally  to  prescribe 


480  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

such  regulations  as  may  be  necessary  to  secure  the  safe  and  easy  intercourse 
and  identification  of  members. 

V.  To  establish  the  Order  in  States,  Districts,  Territories,  Provinces,  or 
countries  where  the  same  has  not  been  established. 

VI.  To  provide  a  revenue  for  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  by 
means  of  a.  per  capita  tax  upon  the  membership,  either  from  Great  Councils 
or  Tribes  under  its  immediate  jurisdiction,  and  the  sale  of  supplies  furnished 
by  it. 

VII.  To   provide   for    returns   from    Great   Councils,   Tribes,   and    other 
branches  under  its  jurisdiction. 

VIII.  To  hear  and  determine  all  appeals  from  Great  Councils  and  Tribes, 
when  the  same  are  legally  brought  before  it,  and  to  provide  by  legislation  for 
the  enforcement  of  all  its  decrees  and  decisions. 

IX,.  To  enact  laws  and  regulations  of  general  application  to  carry  into 
effect  the  foregoing,  and  all  other  powers  reserved  by  this  Constitution  to  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States  or  its  Great  Chiefs,  and  such  as  may  be 
necessary  to  enforce  its  legitimate  authority  over  the  Order. 

X.  All  power  and  authority  in  the  Order  not  delegated  to  Great  Councils, 
Tribes,  and  Councils  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas,  by  their  charters,  or  the 
general  laws  or  rules  and  decisions  of  this  Great  Council,  are  reserved  to  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States. 

XI.  All  power  and  authority  enjoyed,  exercised,  and  possessed  by  the  sev- 
eral State  Great  Councils  exist  only  by  virtue  of  their  charters  and  the  sanc- 
tion and  consent  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  duly  granted 
them.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

BENEFITS. 

36.  Tribes  shall  enact  laws  for  the  payment  of  seven  suns  and  funeral 
benefits.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S.  Art.  8. 

37.  The  amount  to  be  paid  for  funeral  and  other  benefits  is  a  matter  for 
local  jurisdiction,  and  can  be  adjudicated  by  the  Great  Council  of  the  Uniled 
States,  only  when  introduced  on  an  appeal.  —  IV,  289. 

38.  A  fundamental  principle  of  the  Order  is  that  a  fund  must  be  raised  and 
maintained,  by  the  equal  contributions  of  all  the  members,  from  which  all 
benefits  are  to  be  paid ;  and  in  order  to  sustain  this  fund,  certain  forfeitures 
and  penalties  are  to  be  enforced  against  delinquent  brothers  who  fail  to  keep 
their  contributions  promptly  paid  as  required  by  the  laws.     Among  these 
penalties  is   forfeiture  of  benefits.     A   brother,   to  avail    himself    of  these 
benefits,  or  to  qualify  his  relatives  or  friends  to  receive  them,  must  keep  his 
dues  paid  up  as  required  by  the  Constitution  and  By-Laws  of  his  Tribe.  — 
V,  375- 

39.  A  Tribe  has  the  right  to  reduce  the  amount  to  be  paid  for  benefits,  in 
order  to  relieve  itself  from  financial  difficulties,  without  the  consent  of  those 
unable  to  follow  the  hunt.  — II,  207. 

40.  It  is  not  necessary  that  a  member  should  be  so  sick  as  to  be  unable  to 
leave  his  bed  or  room,  to  entitle  him  to  benefits ;  if  he  is  really  and  truly 


REVISED  DIGEST. 


481 


unable  to  follow  the  hunt,  transact  his  accustomed  business,  or  earn  a  living 
on  account  of  bodily  infirmity,  he  is  entitled.  —  II,  245. 

41.  Any  member  of  a  Tribe  unable  to  follow  the  hunt  is  entitled  to  the 
care  of  the  relief  chiefs  thereof,  although  some  law  may  render  him  ineligible 
to  receive  benefits.  —  III,  190,  225. 

42.  When  a  beneficial  member  becomes  insane,  and  is  confined  in  a  public 
institution,  the  Tribe  must  pay  the  benefits.  —  VI,  13,  49,  64. 

43.  No  member  in  good  health  is  entitled  to  benefits,  whether  an  inmate  of 
a  benevolent  institution  or  not.  —VI,  153,  178. 

44.  A  State  Great  Council  can  prohibit  Tribes  under  its  jurisdiction  from 
paying  funeral  expenses  to  the  family  of  a  brother  who  dies  non-beneficial, 
and  can  prohibit  Tribes  from  carrying  into  effect  any  measure  it  sees  fit,  sub- 
ject to  an  appeal  to  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  — VI,  160,  185. 

45.  A  member  more  than  three  moons  in  arrears  for  seven  suns1  dues  or 
assessments,  forfeits  all  claims  upon  the  Tribe  for  benefits  of  any  character. 
-VII,  9. 

46.  When  a  brother  in  good  standing  becomes  unable  to  follow  the  hunt, 
and  is  reported  to  the  Relief  Chiefs,  he  cannot  after  that  become  in  arrears 
to  his  Tribe,  as  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Sachem  to  pay  to  the  Chief  of  Records 
from  the   wampum  drawn  for   his   benefits  a  sum   sufficient  to  prevent  the 
brother  becoming  in  arrears  to  the  Tribe. 

47.  A  Tribe  cannot  refuse  to  grant  benefits  of  a  suicide,  if  they  are  other- 
wise due  under  the  laws  of  the  Tribe. —  Vol.  II. 

48.  A  member  more  than  three  moons  in  arrears  for  seven  suns'  dues,  and 
reported  unable  to  follow  the  hunt,  would  not  be  entitled  to  benefits.  —  Vol. 
VII. 

49.  A  member  is  entitled  to  benefits  only  when  through  sickness  or  disa- 
bility he  is  unable  to  follow   his  usual    business   or  some  other  occupation 
whereby  he  can  earn  a  livelihood  for  himself  and  family.  —  Vol.  VII. 

BENEFICIAL  DEGREE  COUNCILS. 

50.  A  member  of  a  Beneficial  Degree  Council,  more  than  three  moons  in 
arrears  to  the  Tribe,  but  in  good  standing  in  the  Degree  Council,  would  be 
entitled  to  seven  suns1  benefits  from  the  Degree  Council  if  otherwise  quali- 
fied.—IX,  22. 

51.  Degree  Councils  should  be  governed  by  the  Constitution  of  Tribes  in 
the  reservation  in  which  they  are  located.     They  shall  be  under  the  immedi- 
ate control  of  the  Great  Council   having  jurisdiction  in  the  reservation.  — 
Vol.  IV. 

CARDS  —  WITHDRAWAL. 

52.  Application  for  a  withdrawal  card  shall  be  made  either  personally  or  in 
writing,  and  the  same  shall  be  granted,  provided  the  brother  is  clear  upon 
the  books  of  the  Tribe,  free  from  charges,  and  there  be  no  valid  objections. 

53.  Any  withdrawal  card  may  be  revoked  for  cause  by  the  Tribe  granting 
the  same,  and  when  so  revoked  the  person  holding  said  card  shall  be  subject 


482 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  ME.\\ 


to  the  Tribe  which  issued  the  same.     A  withdrawal  card  may  be  renewed  if 
lost  or  destroyed.— Art.  VIII,  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

54.  The  power  to  provide  and  publish  withdrawal  cards  belongs  to  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  —  Art.  I,  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

55.  A  brother  taking  a  withdrawal  card  is  entitled  to  the  universal  pass- 
word and  the  right  to  visit  for  the  balance  of  the  term,  and  for  that  time 
alone.     By  the  end  of  the  term  referred  to  the  password  will  have  run  out, 
and  he  would  not  be  entitled  to  another.  —  V,  609,  671. 

56.  When  a  member  applies  for  a  withdrawal  card,  he  is  compelled  to 
take  the  card  and  is  no  more  a  member  of  the  Tribe.  —  I,  135. 

57.  Where  evidence  of  former  membership  is  in  possession  of  the  Great 
Chiefs,  after  proving  applicants  in  the  private  work,  cards   or   certificates 
shall  be  issued  to  enable  them  to  regain  their  former  standing  in  the  Order. 
-111,35,  163,  165. 

58.  No  such  title  or  personage  as  Ancient  Red  Man  is  known  to,  or  recog- 
nized by,  the  Order.     A  Red  Man  holding  a  withdrawal  card  which  has  run 
over  one  great  sun,  can  be  admitted  at  any  time  subject  to  the  laws  of  the 
reservation  wherein  the  card  may  be  presented.     When  thus  elected  and 
restored  to  membership  he  assumes  the  rank  and  is  entitled  to  the  same 
privileges  he  held  or  was  entitled  to  prior  to  his  taking  a  withdrawal  card. 

-IV,  157,212. 

59.  A  brother  residing  in  one  reservation  has  not  the  right  to  deposit 
his  card  in  a  Tribe  in  another,  without  getting  permission  so  to  do  from  the 
Great  Sachem  of  the  State  in  which  he  resides. — V,  178,  199. 

60.  The  power  of  granting  cards  or  certificates  to  members  in  good  stand- 
ing of  extinct  Tribes,  is  vested  in  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  only  of  the  Great 
Council  to  which  said  Tribe  would  be  attached  if  working.  —  IV,  158,  190. 

61.  It  is  the  duty  of  a  Tribe  upon  the  issuance  of  a  withdrawal  card  to  a 
brother  who  has  served  the  proper  time  as  Sachem,  to  rank  him  on  said  card 
as  Past  Sachem,  regardless  of  the  fact  that  said  brother  has  not  received  the 
Past  Sachem's  or  Great  Council  degree ;  and  it  is  the  further  duty  of  a  Tribe 
to  furnish  said  brother  with  a  certificate  which  will  entitle  him  to  claim  his 
rights  in  the  hunting-grounds  to  which  he  may  remove.  —  IV,  157,  190. 

62.  The  Sachem  and  Chief  of  Records  have  no  right  to  grant  a  withdrawal 
card  to  a  member  in  good  standing  of  a  Tribe  that  has  failed  to  meet  for 
several  moons,  but  has  not  surrendered  its  charter,  except  on  vote  of  the 
Tribe  in  regular  council.  —  V,  141,  196. 

63.  When  a  brother  presents  his  withdrawal  card   as   an   applicant  for 
membership,  the  application  must  be  referred  to  a  committee  of  investigation, 
which  must  make  a  strict  investigation  of  the  health,  character,  and  standing 
of  the  applicant,  and  on  the  report,  whether  favorable  or  unfavorable,  a 
ballot  must  be  had,  as  in  case   of  a  paleface,  and   the   brother  shall   not 
become  a  member  of  the  Tribe  unless  all  these  requirements  have  been  fully 
carried  out.  —  IX,  21. 

64.  If  the  applicant  is  rejected  his  card  must  be  returned  to  him  undefaced- 
-IX,  23. 


REVISED  DIGEST.  483 

65.  A  brother  who  has  lost,  or  been  dispossessed  of  a  withdrawal  card, 
from  no  cause  which  would  impeach  his  conduct,  may  obtain  a  new  card, 
bearing  the  same  date,  from  the  Tribe  which  granted  the  original  one,  the 
Tribe  being  the  judge  as  to  the  propriety  of  issuing  the  new  one.     When 
issued,  the  card  must  certify  on  its  face  that  it  is  a  duplicate.  —  VII. 

CARDS  —  TRAVELLING. 

66.  To  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  alone  belongs  the  power  of 
providing  and  publishing  travelling  cards.  — Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

67.  Travelling  cards,  for  the  use  of  members,  may  be  used  or  recognized 
only  when  procured  from  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  and  they 
are  in  accordance  with  the  form  adopted.     They  are  for  special  use  and  must 
be  obtained  through  State  Great  Councils.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

68.  A  travelling  card  shall  be  priina  facie  evidence  of  the  good  standing 
of  the  brother  to  whom  issued.     Upon  the  back  thereof  shall  be  placed  the 
amount  for  seven  suns,  and  funeral  benefits  allowed  by  the  Tribe  issuing  it. 
—  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

69.  No  Tribe  issuing  a  travelling  card  shall  be  held  legally  responsible  for 
more  wampum  than  may  be  allowed  by  the  provisions  thereof.  —  IV,  301. 

70.  It  is  the  duty  of  a  Tribe  to  grant  a  travelling  card  to  any  member  who 
may  request  it,  and  who  has  complied  with  the  laws  relative  to  issuing  the 
same.  —  V,  610,  673. 

CEREMONIES. 

71.  The  ceremonies  shall  not  be  altered  or  amended  unless  the  proposed 
change  be  submitted  in  writing  and,  after  being  twice  read  on  different  suns, 
be  adopted  by  the  votes  of  three-fourths  of  the  members  present  entitled  to 
vote.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

CERTIFIED  RECEIPTS. 

72.  Certified  receipts  for  the  use  of  members  may  be  used  or  recognized 
only  when  procured  from  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  and  they 
are  in  accordance  with  the  form  adopted.     They  are  for  special  use  and  must 
be  obtained  through  State  Great  Councils.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

73.  A  certified  receipt  shall  be  priina  facie  evidence  of  the  payment  of 
dues  by  the  brother  to  whom  issued.     Upon  the  back  thereof  may  be  printed 
a  request  for  communicating  to  the  brother  the  Universal  Password.  —  Con- 
stitution G.  C.  U.  S. 

74.  Orders  for  the  password  must  be  upon  the  form  adopted  and  issued 
by  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  and  must  be  accompanied  by  the 
official  certified  receipt  for  dues,  as  furnished  by  said  body.  —  IX,  138. 

CHARTERS. 

75.  To  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  alone  belongs  the  power 
to  publish  and  provide  Charters.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

76.  Five  or  more  Tribes  in  any  State,  District,  Territory,  or  the  Dominion 


484  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

of  Canada,  having  not  less  than  fifteen  Past  Sachems,  and  a  membership  of 
not  less  than  five  hundred,  may  petition  the  Great  Council  or  Great  Inco- 
honee  praying  for  a  charter  for  a  Great  Council  therein.  Should  the  major- 
ity of  the  representatives  vote  in  favor  of  the  same  it  shall  be  granted,  and 
the  Great  Incohonee,  or  a  Past  Sachem  deputized  by  him,  shall  kindle  the 
council  fire  of  said  Great  Council.  The  petition  shall  be  in  the  following 
form :  — 

To  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  : 

The  Past  Sachems  of  the  undersigned  Tribes  represent  that  they  are  work- 
ing under  charters  granted  by  the  Great  Council  of ,  that  the 

Order  has  increased  so  that  the  membership  is  at  present , 

and  we  have Past  Sachems  in  good  standing.     We  believe 

that  it  would  be  of  advantage  to  the  Order  if  a  Great  Council  was  established 
in  our  reservation.  We  therefore  pray  that  you  grant  the  prayer  of  our 
petition. 

Witness  our  hands  and  the  seal  of  the  Tribes  this 

Sun  of Moon,  G.  S.  D 

The  same  to  be  signed  by  the  Sachem  and  Chief  of  Records  of  each  Tribe, 
and  the  seal  thereof  to  be  attached. 

Should  the  application  as  aforesaid  be  made  to  the  Great  Incohonee  prior 
to  the  first  sun  of  Sturgeon  Moon,  he  may,  by  and  with  the  consent  of  the 
elective  Great  Chiefs,  grant  a  dispensation  for  the  same,  and  institute  the 
Great  Council. 

As  soon  as  a  Great  Council  has  been  organized,  all  Tribes  located  in  its 
reservation  shall  thereafter  be  under  the  jurisdiction  of  said  Great  Council. 

77.  In  reservations  where  there  are  no  Great  Councils,  persons  desirous  of 
kindling  a  council  fire  of  a  Tribe  therein  shall  present  an  application  signed 
by  not  less  than  thirty  brothers  or  palefaces,  accompanied  by  the  charter  fee 
and  the  cards  of  the  brothers.     If  the  application  is  received  by  the  Great 
Incohonee  during  the  interim,  the  Great  Incohonee  may,  by  and  with  the 
advice  of  the  Great  Chiefs,  grant  a  dispensation  and  institute  the  Tribe. 

78.  All  travelling  or  other  expenses  of  the  Great  Incohonee,  or  his  deputy, 
incurred  in  lighting  the  council  fire  of  a  Great  Council  or  Tribe  shall  be  paid 
by  such  Great  Council  or  Tribe. 

(Sections  77  and  78  shall  also  apply  to  Councils  of  Degree  of  Pocahontas, 
except  as  to  fee  and  number  on  petition.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S.) 

79.  The  charter  of  a  Tribe  should  be  in  the  council  chamber  during  the 
burning  of  the  council  fire.  —  III,  59,  60. 

80.  A  Tribe  cannot  erase  names  of  charter  members  and  put  others  in  their 
stead.  —  IV,  253,  297. 

81.  A  State  Great  Council   has   authority  to  enact  a  law   requiring   new 
Tribes  to  work  under  a  dispensation  for  a  stated  period  of  time  before  grant- 
ing a  charter.  —  IV,  254,  298. 

82.  A  Tribe  has  a  right  to  print  a  copy  of  its  charter  with  its  Constitution 
and  By-Laws.  —  IV,  80,  106. 


REVISED  DIGEST.  485 

83.  A  charter  remains  open  only  until  the  Tribe  is  instituted,  and  neither 
the  Great  Incohonee,  Great  Sachem,  or  Great  Chief  of  Records  has  the  right 
to  grant  a  dispensation  to  open  the  charter  and  adopt  palefaces  for  less  than 
the  constitutional  fees.  —  V,  424,  434. 

84.  Those  whose  names  appear  on  the  application  and  are  admitted  to 
membership  are  the  charter  members  of  a  Tribe.  —  V,  423,  434. 

85.  When  the  names  of  any  persons  who  are  or  have  been  members  of  the 
Order,  appear  on  an  application  for  a  charter  of  a  new  Tribe,  the  withdrawal 
cards  or  dismissal  certificates  of  said  members  from  the  Tribe  or  Tribes  to 
which  they  formerly  belonged  must  accompany  the  application,  or  be  in  pos- 
session of  instituting  Chiefs,  before  they  can  become  members  of  the  new 
Tribe.  —  V,  608. 

86.  Application  for  a  Tribal  charter  must  be  signed  by  not  less  than  twenty 
brothers  or  palefaces  accompanied  by  a  fee  of  not  less  than  twenty  fathoms. 
If  the  application  be  made  during  the  interim  of  a  State  Great  Council,  the 
Great  Sachem  may,  by  and  with  the  consent  of  the  Great  Chiefs,  grant  a 
dispensation  to   light  the  council  brand,  if  deemed  for  the  interest  of  the 
Order,  the  petition  and  a  report  of  the  action  thereon  to  be  submitted  to  the 
next  council  of  said  Great  Council.  —  General  Laws. 

FORM  OF  APPLICATION  FOR  CHARTER. 
To  the  Great  Council  of of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men : 

The  undersigned,  members  of  the  Order  (or  palefaces),  residing  in  .... 
respectfully  petition  your  Great  Council  to  grant  them  a  charter  to  establish  a 
Tribe  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  to  be  located  in  ....  The  said 
Tribe  to  be  known  as  .  .  .  .  ,  Tribe  No.  .  .  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men,  under  your  jurisdiction,  and  we  pledge  ourselves  to  be  governed  by  the 
laws  thereof. 

Signed,  

Enclosed  is  the  charter  fee. 

Applications  for  charters  for  Degree  Councils  must  be  signed  by  at  least 
ten  brothers  of  the  Chief's  Degree.  A  Degree  Council  may  be  beneficial  or 
otherwise,  as  may  be  set  forth  by  the  petitioners.  It  may  admit  brothers  to 
membership  residing  anywhere  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council 
by  which  it  has  been  chartered.  It  shall  not  confer  degrees  upon  any 
brother  unless  a  certificate  be  presented  from  his  Tribe  authorizing  the  same. 

87.  Application  for  a  Council  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas  shall  be  signed 
by  not  less  than  ten  brothers  of  the  Chief's  Degree  and  ten  females,  and 
accompanied  by  a  fee  of  not  less  than  fifteen  fathoms,  and  acted  upon  in  the 
same  manner  as  an  application  for  a  Tribal  charter.     Members  of  the  Degree 
of  Pocahontas,  desirous  of  becoming  applicants  on  a  charter,  must  present 
their  withdrawal  cards  with  the  application.  —  General  Laws. 

88.  When  Tribes  are  legally  reinstated  and  acknowledged  as  such  by  the 
Great  Chiefs  (during   the  interim),  the    Past  Sachems,  if  returned  in  good 
standing,  would  be  entitled  to  a  seat  in  the  Great  Council. 


486  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

89.  The  law  concerning  applications  for  charters  of  Degree  Councils  relates 
only  to  the  minimum  number  of  names  necessary  on  the  application  and  their 
rank ;  the  law  of  Great  Councils  concerning  charter  fees  for  Tribes  would 
otherwise  govern.  —  IX,  22. 

CHARGES  AGAINST  MEMBERS  —  SEE  TRIALS,  ETC. 

90.  Charges  against  members  of  Tribes  and  Beneficial  Degree  Councils 
must  be  made  in  accordance  with  the  Code  of  Procedure.  —  Constitution 
G.  C.  U.  S. 

CHIEFS. 

91.  The  elective  Chiefs  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  shall  be 
a  Great  Incohonee,  Great  Senior  Sagamore,  Great  Junior  Sagamore,  Great 
Prophet,  Great  Chief  of  Records,  and  Great  Keeper  or  Wampum.  —  Consti- 
tution G.  C.  U.  S. 

92.  The  appointed  Chiefs  shall  be  a  Great  Tocakon,  a  Great  Minnewa,  and 
a  Great  Guard  of  Forest.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

CHIEFS  OF  GREAT  COUNCIL. 

93.  The  elective  Chiefs  of  a  State  Great  Council  shall  be  Great  Sachem, 
Great  Senior  Sagamore,  Great  Junior  Sagamore,  Great  Prophet,  Great  Chief 
of  Records,  and  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum. 

94.  The  appointed  Chiefs  shall  be  Great  Sannap,  Great  Mishinewa,  Great 
Guard  of  Wigwam,  and  Great  Guard  of  Forest.  —  General  Laws. 

CHIEFS  OF  TRIBE. 

95.  The  elective  Chiefs  of  a  Tribe  shall  be  Sachem,  Senior  Sagamore,  Jun- 
ior  Sagamore,  Prophet,  Chief  of  Records,  and  Keeper  of  Wampum,  all  of 
whom  must  be  members  of  the  Chief's  degree.     Great  Councils  may  provide 
for  a  Collector  of  Wampum,  who  also   must  be  a  member  of  the  Chief's 
degree.     The  Prophet  must  be  a  Past  Sachem.     The  appointed  Chiefs  shall 
be  First  and  Second  Sannap,  Guard  of  the  Wigwam,  Guard  of  the  Forest,  four 
Warriors,  and  four  Braves.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

CHIEFS  OF  A  DEGREE  COUNCIL. 

96.  The  elective  Chiefs  of  a  Degree  Council  shall  be  Sachem,  Senior  Saga- 
more, Junior  Sagamore,  Chief  of  Records,  Keeper  of  Wampum,  and  Prophet. 

97.  The  appointed  Chiefs  shall  be  Sannap,  Guard  of  Wigwam  and  Guard 
of  Forest,  and  such  others  as  the  ceremonies  define.  —  General  Laws. 

CHIEFS  OF  DEGREE  OF  POCAHONTAS. 

98.  The  elective  Chiefs  of  a  Council  shall  consist  of  Pocahontas,  Weno- 
nah,  Powhatan,  Keeper  of  Records,  and  Keeper  of  Wampum.     Councils  may 
also  elect  a  Collector  of  Wampum. 

99.  The  appointed  Chiefs  shall  be  First  and  Second  Scout,  First  and  Sec- 


REVISED  DIGEST. 


487 


ond  Runner,  two  Counsellors,  four  Warriors,  Guard  of  Wigwam,  Guard  of 
Forest,  and  such  others  as  the  ritual  may  define.  —  General  Laws. 

ELIGIBILITY  OF  CHIEFS. 

100.  To  be  eligible  to  the  chieftaincy  of  Great  Incohonee,  a  brother  must 
be  a  Past  Great  Sachem,  and  have  served  one  term  in  an  elective  chieftaincy. 

10 1.  No   brother  shall   be   eligible    to  the   chieftaincy  of  Great  Prophet 
unless  he  is  a  Past  Great  Incohonee. 

102.  To  be  eligible  for  Great  Representatives,  brothers  must  be  Past  Sa- 
chems in  good  standing. 

103.  After  a  Great  Council  shall  have  been  instituted  two  great  suns,  no 
brother  shall  be  eligible  to  the  chieftaincy  of  Great  Sachem  unless  he  has 
served  one  term  as  an  elective  Chief  of  a  Great  Council ;  nor  to  the  chief- 
taincy of  Great  Prophet  unless   he  has  served  in  the  chieftaincy  of  Great 
Sachem. 

104.  The  elective  chiefs  of  a  Tribe  must  be  members  of  the  Chiefs  degree. 
The  Prophet  must  be  a  Past  Sachem. 

105.  To  be  eligible  to  the  chieftaincy  of  Prophetess  in  a  Council  of  Poca- 
hontas  the  member  must  have  served  a  term  as  Pocahontas. 

1 06.  Great   Representatives   must   be   residents   of    the   reservation   they 
represent  during  the  entire  term  for  which  they  are  elected,  and  removal  of 
residence    from   their   reservations   shall   operate    as    a    forfeiture    of   their 
position. 

107.  No  one  shall  be  eligible  to  any  chieftaincy  unless  he  has  been  duly 
admitted  to  the  Great  Council  and  received  the  rank  of  Past  Great  Sachem. — 
General  Laws. 

1 08.  The  retiring  Sachem,  being  a  Past  Sachem  on  the  sleep  of  raising  up 
of  Chiefs,  is  eligible  to  be  elected  to  the  chieftaincy  of  Prophet.  —  VIII,  20. 

109.  Great  Councils  have  the  right  to  enact  laws  requiring  other  qualifica- 
tions for  brothers  desirous  of  advancing  to  the  chieftaincy  of  Sachem,  than 
that  of  being  exalted  to  the  Chief's  Degree.  —  IX,  85. 

no.  The  Sachem  is  eligible  for  re-election.  —  IX,  22. 

DUTIES  OF  CHIEFS. 
GREAT  INCOHONEE. 

in.  The  Great  Incohonee  shall  preside  at  all  councils  of  the  Great  Coun- 
cil, preserve  order  and  enforce  the  laws  thereof;  have  a  watchful  supervision 
over  all  branches  of  the  Order,  and  see  that  all  constitutional  enactments, 
rules,  and  regulations  of  the  Great  Council  are  observed. 

Among  his  special  prerogatives  are  the  following :  — 

To  call  special  councils  of  the  Great  Council. 

To  appoint  all  committees  not  otherwise  provided  for,  to  visit  any  Great 
Council,  or  branch  of  the  Order,  and  to  give  such  instruction  as  the  good  of 
the  Order  may  require,  always  adhering  to  the  usages  of  the  Order. 


488  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

He  shall  have  general  supervision  of  the  Order,  and  grant  such  dispensa- 
tions as  he  may  deem  for  its  interest,  also  grant  dispensations  for  the  kind- 
ling of  council  fires  of  Great  Councils  and  other,  branches  of  the  Order. 

He  shall  appoint  and  commission  Deputy  Great  Incohonees  as  may  be 
required  in  States,  Territories,  or  countries  where  Great  Councils  do  not  exist. 

He  may  hear  and  decide  such  appeals  and  questions  of  law  as  may  be  sub- 
mitted to  him  by  Great  Councils  or  their  Great  Chiefs,  and  Tribes  under  the 
immediate  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council,  or  their  Chiefs,  and  such  deci- 
sions shall  be  binding  until  finally  passed  upon  or  reversed  by  the  Great 
Council. 

He  shall,  at  every  great  sun  council,  present  a  printed  report  of  all  his  offi- 
cial acts  and  decisions  during  the  interim,  with  such  recommendations  as  he 
may  deem  for  the  advancement  of  the  Order. 

He  shall  have  exclusive  right  to  create  and  promulgate  all  passwords,  and 
to  rescind  and  change  the  same  if  circumstances  require.  —  Const.  G.  C.  U.  S. 

112.  In  case  of  the  temporary  absence  of  any  Chief,  his  position  may  be 
filled  by  the  Great  Incohonee.  —  II,  138. 

113.  The  Great  Incohonee  has  no  authority  to  answer  any  questions,  or 
make  decisions,  unless  the  same  come  from  a  Great  Council  or  a  Tribe  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States.     Tribes  under  a 
State  Great  Council  desiring  information  upon  any  subject,  must  make  the 
inquiry  through  the  proper  authorities  in  their  reservation.  —  VII. 

114.  In  all  appeals  not  arising  from  charges  and  hearing  under  the  Code 
of  Procedure,  the  Great  Incohonee  has  exclusive  power  to  rule  thereon,  sub- 
ject to  approval  by  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  —  IX,  23. 

115.  In  case  of  the  absence  of  all  Chiefs  qualified  to  preside,  the  senior 
Past  Great  Incohonee  present  shall  preside,  and,  if  none  be  present,  the  Great 
Council  may  select  any  member  to  preside.  —  VI,  88. 

1 1 6.  The  Great  Incohonee  has  the  right  to  hear  and  decide  such  appeals 
and  questions  of  law  as  may  be  submitted  to  him,  and  such   decisions  are 
binding  until  passed  upon  and  reversed  by  the  Great  Council.  — IX,  28,  140. 

117.  The  Great  Incohonee  is  hereby  authorized  and  empowered  to  appoint 
one  or  more  capable  and  efficient  brothers,  who  shall  have  full  power  to  ex- 
emplify and  instruct  Tribes  in  the  written,  unwritten,  and  floor  work,  whose 
construction  shall  be  legal,  and  to  be  taken  as  correct,  unless  reversed  by  the 
Great  Incohonee,  or  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  the  brother  or 
brothers  so  appointed  to  be  known  as  "  Exemplifier,"  or  "  Exemplifies,"  and 
only  to  render  such  service  when  requested  by  a  Tribe  or  Tribes,  and  all  ser- 
vice rendered  shall  be  paid  therefor  by  the  Tribe  or  Tribes  desiring  the  same. 
—  IX,  144. 

118.  The  Great  Senior  Sagamore  shall  assist  the  Great  Incohonee  in  kin- 
dling and  quenching  the  council  fire ;  advise,  assist,  and  support  him  in  pre- 
serving order,  and  preside  in  his  absence.     In  case  of  the  death,  resignation, 
or  disqualification  of  the  Great  Incohonee,  he  shall  be  invested  with  all  his 
authority  and  power.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 


REVISED  DIGEST.  489 

119.  The  Great   Junior  Sagamore  shall  have  charge   of  the  wicket,  and 
perform  such  other  duties  as  the  nature  of  his  chieftaincy  may  require.     In 
case  of  the  death,  resignation,  or  disqualification  of  the  Great  Senior  Saga- 
more, he  shall  be  invested  with  all  his  authority  and  power.  —  Constitution 
G.  C.  U.  S. 

120.  In  absence  of  the  Chiefs  authorized  to  preside,  the  senior  Past  Great 
Incohonee  present  (not  a  Great  Chief),  shall  preside,  and  if  none  be  present 
then  the  members  shall  by  vote  designate  a  member  to  preside.  —  By-Laws 
G.  C.  U.  S. 

121.  The  Great  Prophet  shall  perform  all  the  duties  prescribed  in  the 
ceremonies.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

122.  The  Great  Chief  of  Records  shall  keep  a  just  and  true  record  of  all 
the  proceedings  of  this  Great  Council.     When  the  same  have  been  printed 
he  shall  transmit  to  each  Great  Council  as  many  copies  as  it  may  have  Past 
Great  Sachems,  Great  Chiefs  and  branches  of  the  Order  under  its  jurisdiction. 
Also  one  to  each  branch  under  the  immediate  control  of  this  Great  Council. 
Also  one  to  each  Great  Chief,  member,  and  Representative.     He  shall  collect 
all  the  revenues  of  the  Great  Council  and  pay  the  same  over  to  the  Great 
Keeper  of  Wampum  on  or  about  the  first  of  every  moon,  taking  a  receipt 
therefor.     He  shall  preserve  and  keep  the  evidence  of  the  unwritten  work 
and  such  alterations  as  may  from  time  to  time  be  made  therein,  and   all 
other  records  of  secret  councils.     He  shall  prepare  all  charters  for  Great 
Councils  and  other  branches  that  are  granted  by  the  Great  Council,  notify 
all  Great  Councils,  Chiefs  and  members  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States  of  all  councils  of  this  Great  Council ;  carry  on  all  the  necessary  corre- 
spondence, attest  all  official  documents,  and  perform  such  other  duties  as 
this  Great  Council  may  from  time  to  time  direct.     He  shall  make  out  and 
have  printed  an  alphabetical  roll  of  the  Great  Chiefs  and  Representatives  and 
call  the  same  at  the  kindling  of  each  council  fire,  and  the  names  of  those 
present,  including  Past  Great  Incohonees  and  Past  Great  Sachems,  who  are 
not  Representatives,  shall  be  entered  upon  the  record.     He  shall  submit  to 
the  Great  Council  at  each  council  a  printed  report  of  his  accounts,  together 
with  the  standing  of  the  Order.     He  shall  receive  for  his  services  such  sum 
(not  less  than  sixteen  hundred  fathoms  per  great  sun)  as  the  Great  Council 
may  fix  at  the  time  of  his  election.     He  shall  give  security,  satisfactory  to 
the  Committee  on  Finance,  in  the  sum  of  three  thousand  fathoms  of  wampum. 
—  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

123.  The   Great   Chief  of  Records   is   strictly  forbidden  to  deliver  any 
supplies  to  any  one  unless  the  cash  accompanies  the  order  therefor.  —  V,  89. 

124.  The  Great  Chief  of  Records  shall  retain  in  the  office  twenty-five 
copies  of  the  printed  record  of  each  council  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States.  —  V,  89. 

125.  The  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum  shall  pay  all  orders  drawn  on  him  by 
the  Great  Incohonee,  attested  by  the  Great  Chief  of  Records.     He  shall,  at 
the  great  sun's  council,  present  a  printed  report  of  his  receipts  and  disburse- 
ments.    For  the  faithful  performance  of  his  duties  he  shall  give  a  bond, 


490  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

satisfactory  to  the  Committee  on  Finance,  in  the  sum  of  not  less  than  five 
thousand  fathoms  of  wampum.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

126.  The  Great  Tocakon,  Great  Minnewa  and  the  Great  Guard  of  Forest 
shall  perform  such  duties  as  are  defined  in  the  charge  books,  and  such  as 
may  be  assigned  them  by  the  Great  Council.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

127.  A  Past  Great  Sachem  who  is  not  a  Representative  can  be  appointed 
either  Great  Tocakon  or  Great  Minnewa.  —  V,  465,  495,  543. 

128.  Representatives  who  are  not  Past  Great  Sachems  can  be  appointed 
to  and  fill  a  sub-chieftaincy  in  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  — VII, 
680,  696. 

CHIEFS  OF  STATE  GREAT  COUNCILS  —  DUTIES  OF. 

129.  The  Chiefs  of  a  Great  Council  shall  perform  such  duties  as  are  defined 
in  the  charge  books,  and  such  as  may  be  assigned  them  under  the  By-Laws 
of  said  Great  Council. 

130.  A  Great  Sachem  has  no  authority  to  reinstate  an  expelled  brother.— 
VII,  9. 

131.  A  Great  Sachem  may  decline  to  give  his  reasons  for  making  a  deci- 
sion, if  he  thinks  it  for  the  interests  of  the  Order  to  so  refuse,  being  responsi- 
ble only  to  his  Great  Council.  —  II,  185,  202. 

132.  A  Great  Sachem  has  general  supervision  of  the  Order  in  his  reserva- 
tion.    If  in  a  council  chamber,  in  an  official  capacity,  he  should  call   the 
attention  of  the  Tribe  to  any  violation  of  law.     The  Tribe  is  the  party  to 
deal  with  individual  members,  and  the  Tribe  is  responsible  to  its  Great  Coun- 
cil for  any  violation  of  the  laws  of  the  Order.  —  IV,  353,  393. 

133.  A  Great  Sachem  can  appoint  for  his  deputy  a  member  of  the  Order 
who  is  serving  in  a  Tribe  as  Prophet,  if  not  forbidden  by  local  laws.  —  V, 

257,  329- 

134.  The  Great  Sachem  of  any  reservation  can  hold  the  position  of  Great 
Representative  at  the  same  time.  —  V,  462,  541. 

135.  A  Great  Sachem  is  the  representative  of  a  Great  Council  during  the 
interim  between  the  councils  of  such  Great  Council,  and  also  of  the  interests 
of  the  Order  in  his  reservation,  and  his  powers  are  such  as  are  given  him  by 
the  Ritual,  Constitution,  and  By-Laws  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States  and  its  general  laws  for  the  government  of  State  Great  Councils,  and 
the  Constitution  and  By- Laws  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  State  of  which  he 
is  Great  Sachem,  but  of  course  he  is  not  in  fact  the  Great  Council.     A  Great 
Council  is  necessary,  notwithstanding  the  power  of  right  given  to  the  Great 
Sachem,  that  due  and  proper  legislation  may  be  had  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Order  under  its  immediate  jurisdiction.  —  V,  683. 

136.  A  Great  Sachem  while  occupying  that  Chieftaincy  is  eligible  to  be 
voted  for  as  Great  Prophet  for  the  ensuing  term.  —  III,  191,  225. 

137.  No  Chief  in  a  Great  Council  can  retain  his  Chieftaincy  who  is  not  in 
good  standing  in  a  Tribe.  —  V,  142,  196. 

138.  The  first  Great  Prophet  of  a  Great  Council  is  the  Senior  Past  Great 
Sachem.  —  VII,  694. 


REVISED  DIGEST.  491 

139.  A  brother  is  eligible  for  nomination  and  election  to  the  Chieftaincy 
of  Great  Sachem  who  is  not  in  possession  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas. — 
VII,  626. 

140.  The  first  Prophet  of  a  Great  Council  shall  be  entitled  to  the  rank  and 
honors  of  Past  Great  Sachem.  — General  Laws. 

141 .  Any  Great  Chief  of  Records  or  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum  of  a  Great 
Council,  having  served  five  great  suns  in  succession  as  such,  shall  be  entitled 
to  the  rank  and  honors  of  Past  Great  Sachem.  — General  Laws. 

142.  The  Great  Mishinewa  shall  have  command  of  processions  or  public 
demonstrations  of  Great  Councils  and  act  as  assistant  runner  of  the  Great 
Sachem  during  the  burning  of  the  council  fire,  and  perform  such  other  duties 
as  the  Great  Sachem  or  Great  Council  may  direct.     His  position  in  the  wig- 
wam shall  be  at  the  left  of  the  Great  Sachem.  —  V,  60. 

143.  A  Great  Chief  cannot  retain  his  Chieftaincy  and  officiate  therein  if 
expelled  from  his  Tribe.  —  VII,  18. 

144.  A  Great  Chief  can  retain  his  Chieftaincy  pending  an  appeal  to  the 
Great  Council  of  the  State,  or  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  — 
VII,  18. 

145.  When  a  Great  Sachem  has  been  expelled  from  the  Order,  the  Great 
Chief  of  Records  is  the  proper  Chief  to  declare  the  station  vacant,  and  the 
Great  Senior  Sagamore  is  the  proper  Chief  to  assume  the  Chieftaincy.  — 
VII,  18. 

CHIEFS  OF  A  TRIBE  AND  BENEFICIAL  DEGREE  COUNCIL  —  DUTIES  OF. 

146.  The  Chiefs  of  a  Tribe  (or  Beneficial  Degree  Council)  shall  perform 
such  duties  as  are  defined  in  the  charge  books,  and  such  as  may  be  laid  down 
in  the  laws  for  the  government  of  Tribes. 

147.  The   Senior  Sagamore  is   the  proper  Chief  to  have  charge  of  the 
wickets.  —  III,  293. 

148.  In  absence  of  any  local  law,  Tribes  have  the  right  to  nominate  Chiefs 
on  the  sleep  of  election.  —  IV,  395. 

149.  A  Chief  who  has  been  tried  and  found  guilty,  and  resigns,  having  been 
re-elected   by   the  Tribe   subsequently,    is   entitled   to   be   raised   up.  —  V, 
373.  4i8. 

150.  A  Junior  Sagamore,  never  having  been  raised  to  the  Senior  Saga- 
more's stump,  is  not  eligible  to  the  Chieftaincy  of  Sachem,  if  the  local  law 
provides  that  he  must  fill  the  Chieftaincy  of  Senior  Sagamore.  —  V,  171. 

151.  The  First  Prophet  of  a  Tribe,  neglecting  to  attend  to  his  duty,  either 
by  failing  to  attend,  or  by  deporting  himself  in  a  manner  unbecoming  a  Red 
Man,  and  the  station  being  declared  vacant,  the  same  can  be  filled  by  dispen- 
sation.—  VII,  626. 

152.  Any  Chief  of  Records,  Collector  of  Wampum,  or  Keeper  of  Wampum, 
having  served  five  great  suns  in  succession  as  such,  shall  be  entitled  to  the 
degree  of  Past  Sachem.  —  General  Laws. 

1 53.  The  First  Prophet  of  a  Tribe  shall  be  entitled  to  the  honors  of  a  Past 
Sachem.  — General  Laws. 


492 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 


154.  The  resignation  of  a  Sachem  and  the  raising  up  of  his  successor,  does 
not  create  a  vacancy  in  the  position  of  sub-Chiefs  who  were  appointed  by  the 
former  Sachem.  — VII.  183,  186. 

155.  An  elective  Chief  can  resign  a  Chieftaincy  to  which  he  has  been  raised 
at  any  time  he  may  desire.  —  VI.  419. 

156.  The  Chief  of  Records  should  announce  the  receipts  of  each  council, 
and  enter  them  on  the  records.  —  VII,  22. 

157.  The  Chief  of  Records  has  no  right  to  take  the  seal  away  from  the 
wigwam,  if  the  Tribe  decides  to  the  contrary.  -  -  VII,  22. 

158.  If  the  stump  of  Sachem  is  not  declared  vacant  for  absence,  he  is 
entitled  to  the  rank  and  honors  of  a  Past  Sachem.  —  VII,  23. 

CHIEFS  OF  DEGREE  OF  POCAHONTAS. 

159.  The  Chiefs  of  the  Councils  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas  shall  per- 
form such  duties  as  are  laid  down  in  the  rules  and  ceremonies. 

COMMITTEES. 

1 60.  Immediately  after  the   raising  up  of  the  Great  Incohonee,  he  shall 
appoint  a  Committee  on  Finance  and  a  Committee  on  Laws,  to  consist  of 
three  members  each  and  to  serve  during  his  Chieftaincy ;  and  as  soon  as  the 
council  fire  of  each  Great  Council  is  kindled,  he  shall  appoint  a  Committee 
on  Credentials,  to  consist  of  three  members,  and  immediately  after  the  read- 
ing of  the  long  talks,  the  following  committees,  to  consist  of  seven  members 
each,  vis. :  Distribution  of  Long  Talks,  State  of  the  Order,  Judiciary,  Ap- 
peals and  Grievances,  Charters,  Reports,  Mileage  and  Per  Diem,  Beneficiary, 
and  Degree  of  Pocahontas.  —  Constitution  of  G.  C.  U.  S. 

COMMITTEES  —  DUTIES  OF. 

161.  The  Committee  on  Finance  shall  examine  the  books,  vouchers,  and 
accounts  of  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  and  the  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum, 
before  each  great  sun  council,  and  for  that  purpose  shall  meet  at  the  office  of 
the  Great  Chief  of  Records  at  least  four  suns  prior  to  the  council.     They  shall 
make  estimates  for  and  recommend  appropriations  of  wampum,  for  general 
and  special  purposes  during  the  interim  of  the  councils,  based  on  revenue 
likely  to  be  received ;  and  no  expenditure  of  wampum  shall  be  made  over  and 
above  an  appropriation,  unless  the  same  has  received  the  approval  of  the 
Finance  Committee.     It  shall  be  their  duty  to  see  that  the  necessary  bonds 
have  been  entered  by  those  required  to  do  so  by  the  laws,  to  place  the  same 
in  the  hands  of  the  Great  Incohonee,  and  submit  their  report  at  each  great 
sun  council. 

I.  The  Committee  on  Constitution  and  Laws  shall  examine  all  laws  that 
may  be  referred  to  them  during  the  interim  of  the  councils,  and  report  as  to 
their  action  on  the  same.     It  shall  be  their  duty  to  see  that  the  laws  referred 
to  them  do  not  conflict  with  the  laws  and  usages  of  the  Order 

II.  The  Committee  on  Credentials  shall  examine  and  report  on  all  creden- 
tials that  may  be  referred  to  it. 


REVISED  DIGEST. 

III.  The  Committee  on  Distribution  shall  have  referred  to  it  the  long  talks 
of  the  Great  Chiefs,  and  shall  examine  and  refer  to  the  various  committees  the 
subjects  treated  in  the  talks. 

IV.  To  the  Committee  on  the  State  of  the  Order  shall  be  referred  that 
portion  of  the  Great  Chief's  long  talks  that  relates  to  the  status  of  the  Order, 
and  in  its  report  it  shall  embody  the  condition  and  progress  that  the  Order 
has  made,  and  ^shall  recommend  such  measures  as  it  may  think  advantageous 
to  the  whole  Order. 

V.  The  Committee  on  Judiciary  shall  consider  all  questions  of  a  proper 
construction  of  the  laws,  and  other  judicial  matters  that  may  be  referred  to  it 
by  the  Great  Council. 

VI.  The  Committee  on  Appeals  and  Grievances  shall  investigate  all  appeals 
and  other  matters  of  a  like  character  that  may  be  referred  to  it,  and  report  to 
the  Great  Council  its  decision  thereon,  with  such  recommendations  as  it  thinks 
the  evidence  warrants. 

VII.  The  Committee  on  Charters  shall  examine  and  report  on  all  petitions 
and  dispensations  issued  by  the  Great  Incohonee,  for  Tribes,  Councils  of  the 
Degree  of  Pocahontas  or  Great  Councils,  and  report  as  to  the  advisability  of 
granting  charters. 

VIII.  The  Committee  on  Reports   shall  examine  and  report  as  to  the 
correctness  of  all  returns  and  reports  presented  by  Great  Councils  and  Tribes. 

IX.  The  Committee  on  Mileage  and  Per  Diem  shall  calculate  the  number 
of  miles  travelled  by  Great  Chiefs,  Representatives  and  members  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  Finance  present  at  each  great  sun  council ;  also  make  out  a  complete 
and  correct  roll  of  the  same  and  report  the  amount  that  each  is  entitled  to,  and 
no  order  shall  be  drawn  until  the  report  is  approved  by  this  Great  Council. 

X.  The  Committee  on  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas  shall  have  referred  to  it 
all  matters  appertaining  to  said  branch  of  the  Order,  and  it  shall  report  to 
the  Great  Council  such  recommendations  as  it  may  deem  beneficial. 

XI.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  each  committee  or  member  of  this  Great  Coun- 
cil to  return  to  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  at  the  final  quenching  of  the 
council  fire  all  books  and  papers  belonging  to  this  Great  Council,  unless 
otherwise  ordered  by  this  Great  Council.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

CONSOLIDATION. 

162.  Great  Councils  of  the  respective  States  are  permitted  to  consolidate 
the  organizations  now  known  by  the  various  titles  of  "  Red  Men "  with  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  under  such  regulations  as  will  not  conflict  with 
the  laws  and  usages  of  our  Order.  Such  bodies  will  be  allowed  to  use  their 
present  regalia  after  attaching  thereto  the  jewels  adopted  by  this  Great 
Council  for  its  various  Chiefs,  provided  that  when  the  same  is  replaced  it 
shall  be  with  the  regulation  style  adopted  for  Tribes  of  the  Improved  Order 
of  Red  Men.  The  past  presiding  officers  of  such  bodies  shall  be  entitled  to 
the  rank  and  honors  of  Past  Sachems,  and  a  dispensation  is  hereby  granted 
for  that  purpose.  Before  these  privileges  herein  mentioned  shall  be  bestowed 
upon  the  said  bodies,  the  members  thereof  shall  be  severally  adopted  and 


494 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 


instructed  in  the  work  of  our  Order  and  take  our  regular  charters,  as  required 
by  the  laws  of  the  Order  in  the  case  of  palefaces.  —  VI,  170. 

163.  When  a  Tribe  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States  consolidates  with  another  Tribe,  the  effect  is  the  same  as  if  the 
Tribe  had  become  extinct.     The  Chiefs  of  the  Tribe  are  compelled  to  deliver 
to  the  proper  Chiefs  all  property,  to  be  held  in  trust.  —  V,  608,  672. 

164.  Great  Councils  have  the  right  to  legislate  relative  to  the  consolidation 
of  Tribes  under  their  jurisdiction.  —  V,  608,  672. 

COSTUMES. 

165.  Exposing   a   portion  of  our  paraphernalia  to  the  view  of  palefaces, 
and  wearing  of  tribal  costumes  in  public  parade  prohibited.  —  I,  83;  III,  225. 

1 66.  The  Great  Sachem  has  not  the  power  to  grant  a  dispensation  to 
Tribes  to  appear  in  public  in  the  costumes  worn  in  the  Tribes.  — IV,  254,  298. 

167.  A  Tribe  has  the  right  to  dispose  of  such  portion  of  its  paraphernalia 
as  it  does  not  need  to  a  sister  Tribe  only ;   but  in  case  of  a  surrender  of  its 
charter,  all  its  property  and  paraphernalia  must  be  turned  over  to  the  custody 
of  the  Great  Council.  —  IV,  353,  393. 

168.  /There  is  no  law  controlling  the  costumes.     But  the  "colors  of  the 
Order  "  are  clearly  defined,  and  are  not  confined  to  any  particular  article,  but 
designate  "  rank,"  and  inferentially  designate  the  colors  of  the  costumes.  — 
V,  371,  416. 

169.  It  is  improper  to  show  certain  of  the  costumes  to  palefaces,  and  it  is 
also  improper  to  allow  palefaces  to  manufacture  them.  —  VII,  25. 

170.  The  costumes  of  the  Order  are  not  matters  of  public  legislation  or 
public  law.     Our  laws,  as  published  for  the  information  of  our  membership 
generally,  as  well  as  the  paleface  world,  provide  a  regalia,  consisting  of  the 
ordinary  sash,  and  the  funeral  sash  and  badge,  to  be  worn  in  public.     But 
the  costume  is  created  by  the  secret  work,  and  is  intended  solely  to  embellish 
and  illustrate  it ;  and  the  members  of  the  Order  have  no  more  right  to  expose 
to  public  view,  or  to  speak  of  it  in  the  presence  of  palefaces,  than  they  have 
to  exhibit  the  secret  signs  and  passwords.     Therefore,  the  costumes  are  a 
part  and  portion  of  the  secret  paraphernalia  of  the  Order,  and  must  not  be 
worn  outside  of  the  wigwam,  nor  in  any  manner  or  for  any  other  purpose  than 
that  prescribed  in  the  Ritual.  —  III,  255. 

COUNCILS. 

171.  The  great  sun  council  fire  shall  be  kindled  on  the  second  Tuesday  of 
Corn  moon,  at  the  ninth  run,  rising  of  the  sun,  at  such  place  as  the  Great 
Council  may  designate. 

I.  The  place  of  kindling  the  council  fire  shall  be  determined  at  each  great 
sun  council  by  a  majority  of  those  entitled  to  vote ;  provided,  that  the  resolu- 
tion fixing  the  place  shall  have  been  read  on  two  separate  suns. 

II.  State  Great  Councils  shall  hold  one  council  every  great  sun..  —  Cqi\^ 
stitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 


REVISED  DIGEST.  495 

COUNCIL  BRAND. 

172.  The  principal  feature  of  our  organization  is  the  carrying  out  of  the 
habits  and  customs  of  the  Red  Men  of  the  forest,  and  as  the  council  brand 
was  considered  one  of  their  most  sacred  emblems,  its  abolishment  is  deemed 
£h  innovation  upon  our  ritual.  —  V,  160,  210. 

DATING. 

173.  Prior  to  the  year  A.D.  1865,  the  Jewish  style,  namely,  the  year  of  the 
world,  was  observed  by  Red  Men  in  dating  their  documents.     At  the  council 
held  in  G.  S.  5626,  this  system  was  discontinued,  and  G.  S.  D.,  or  Great  Sun 
of  the  Discovery,  was  adopted,  the  year  1492  being  considered  G.  S.  D.  i. 
For  convenience,  it  was  determined  that  the  great  sun  should  commence  on 
the  first  of  Cold  moon,  so  as  to  conform  to  the  common  era.     To  find  the 
date  of  the  old  style,  add  to  the  common  era  3760;  e.g.  1877+3760  =  5637. 
To  find  the  date  by  Red  Men's  style,  subtract   1491  from  the  common  era; 
e.g.  1877— 1491=386. —  Ill,  59. 

DEGREES. 

174.  The  degrees  of  the  Order  are  the  Adoption,  Hunter's,  Warrior's  and 
Chief's ;  also  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas,  of  Beneficial  Degree  Councils,  and 
of  Past  Sachem,  each  of  which  is  separate  from  the  others.     The  Adoption 
degree,  Degree  of  Pocahontas,  and  Beneficial  degree  cannot  be  conferred 
upon  a  paleface  except  in  the  Tribe  or  Council  to  which  said  paleface  has 
been  elected. 

I .  No  Tribe  shall  confer  degrees  upon  a  member  of  another  Tribe,  except 
by  permission,  under  seal,  of  the  Tribe  to  which  said  member  belongs. 

II.  Brothers  desirous  of  *  advancing  shall  make  application  for  degrees  in 
open  council ;  the  application  shall  be  referred  to  the  Tribe  while  working  in 
the  degree  applied ;  a  ballot  shall  be  had,  and  if  not  more  than  three  black 
twigs  are  cast  it  shall  be  granted.     If  rejected,  the  application  cannot  be 
renewed  for  three  moons.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

175.  Past  Great  I ncohonees  or  Vice  Great  Incohonees  have  no  power  to 
confer  the  Past  Sachem's  degree  upon  brothers  of  Tribes  in  hunting  grounds 
where  no  Great  Council  exists,  unless    by  special    authority  of   the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States.  —  I,  230;  II,  57. 

176.  The  Great  Council  of  any  reservation  has  the  right  to  confer  the  Past 
Sachem's  degree  upon  Past  Sachems  in  good  standing  of  another  reservation, 
with  the  consent  of  the  Great  Sachem  or  Great  Council  thereof.     Consent 
for  Past  Sachems  to  receive  the  Past  Sachem's  degree  outside  of  their  own 
jurisdiction  shall  be  recognized  only  when  said  Past  Sachems  shall  have 
proved  themselves  in  good  standing  in  the  Order,  and  when  their  application 
for  the  same  shall  bear  the  seal  and  signatures  of  the  Great  Sachem  and 
Great  Chief  of  Records  of  their  own  reservation.  —  VI,  14,  49,  64. 

177.  The  eligibility  of  members  for  degrees  is  a  matter  for  local  jurisdic- 
tions to  determine.  —  III,  134,  164. 


496  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

178.  In  case  of  change  in  the  degree  work,  members  in  good  standing 
who  were  in  possession  of  the  former  degrees,  are  entitled  to  all  changes 
without  any  additional  requirements.  —  II,  138,  156. 

179.  To  confer  the  degrees  free  of  charge  is  in  conflict  with  the  laws  fixing 
the  fees.  —  IV,  160,  214. 

180.  All  business  of  the  Tribe  shall  be  transacted  in  the  Adoption  degree. 
When  a  degree  is  to  be  conferred,  if  the  regular  business  of  the  Tribe  is  not 
completed,  the   Sachem   may  declare  a  recess  in  the  Adoption  degree  for 
that  purpose,  and  proceed  to  kindle  the  council  fire  in  the  degree  about  to  be 
conferred,  and  then  proceed  exactly  in  accordance  with  the  ritual  for  said 
degree.     Otherwise  the  council  fire  may  be  quenched  in  the  Adoption  degree 
and  kindled  in  the  degree  to  be  conferred.     Each  degree  is  complete  within 
itself.     The  council  fire  may  not  be  kindled  twice  in  the  same  degree  on  the 
same  sleep,  and  it  must  be  quenched  in  one  degree  before  proceeding  to 
kindle  it  in  another  degree.  —  IV,  5,  53. 

181.  When  a  single  degree  is  to  be  conferred,  the  council  fire  may  be 
kindled  in  that  degree.  —  V,  258,  329. 

182.  A  Sachem  has  the  right,  at  his  option,  after  giving  proper  notice, 
whenever  requested  in  writing   by  five  or  more  brothers,  to  convene  the 
Tribe  in  special  council  for  degree  work,  or  other  business  proper  to  be 
transacted  at  a  special  council.  —  V,  258,  329. 

183.  The  balloting  for  a  degree  shall   take  place  in  the  council  of  the 
degree  for  which  the  application  is  made.  —  VI,  13,  49,  64. 

184.  A  Degree  Council  has  a  right  to  confer  degrees  on  a  brother  who  is 
deaf,  so  much  so  that  he  cannot  hear  the  different  charges  and  obligations 
when  read  to  him.     The  brother  has  his  rights,  and  no  Tribe  or  Degree 
Council  can  violate  them.  —  VI,  119,  176. 

DEGREE  OF  POCAHONTAS. 

185.  Any  member  of  the   Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  who  has  been 
exalted  to  the  Chiefs  degree  and  is  in  good  standing  in  his  Tribe,  and  any 
woman  over  eighteen  years  of  age  and  of  good  moral  character,  shall  be 
eligible  to  membership  in  any  Council  of  the  Degree  of  Tocahontas.     The 
fee  for  adoption  into  a  Council  shall  not  be  less  than  one  fathom.  —  VII,  99. 

1 86.  Past  officers   of  organizations   that  were  in  existence  prior  to  the 
promulgation  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas,  said  ladies  having  accepted  the 
provisions  of  the  law,  shall  be  entitled  to  the  rank  and  honor  of  Past  Chiefs. 

-VII,  553- 

187.  State  Great  Councils  shall  report  every  great  sun  to  the  Great  Coun- 
cil of  the  United  States  the  standing  of  the  Councils  of  the  Degree  of  Poca- 
hontas under  their  jurisdiction.  —  VII,  553. 

188.  A  Past  Pocahontas  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas  may  be  appointed 
Deputy  of  a  Council.  —  VII,  627. 

189.  Representatives  to  the  Great  Council  of  the  United   States  cannot 
impart  the  secret  work  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas  to  their  State  Great 
Council.  — VII,  628. 


REVISED  DIGEST.  497 

190.  The  elective  Chiefs  of  a  State  Great  Council  who  are  not  members  of 
a  Council  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas  have  the  right  to  visit  Councils  in  an 
official  capacity.  — VIII,  214. 

191.  State  Great  Councils  have  the  right  to  enact  laws  taxing  Councils 
of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas ;  they  have  also  the  right  to  provide  for  repre- 
sentation from  said  Councils,  provided  the  representative  is  a  Past  Sachem 
in  good  standing  in  Tribe  and  Council.  —  VIII,  596. 

192.  Great  Councils  may  establish  rules  by  which  a  Great  Sun  Council  of 
the  members  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas  can  be  held  at  such  time  and  place 
as  they  may  deem  proper,  and  regulations  designating  the  business  that  may 
be  transacted  thereat.     At  such  Councils,  Past  Chiefs,  Past  Sachems  who  are 
members,  and  those  who  may  be  selected  as  representatives  from  the  various 
Councils,  shall  be  entitled  to  a  seat  and  a  voice  in  the  deliberations. 

DEPUTY  GREAT  SACHEMS. 

193.  A  State  Great  Council  has  the  right  to  divide  its  reservation  into 
districts,  in  which  a  representative  of  the  Great  Sachem  can  be  appointed  to 
be  termed  a  Deputy,  and  the  Deputy  Great  Sachems  are  accountable  to  the 
Great  Sachem.  —  II,  184,  202. 

194.  It  is  the  duty  of  Deputy  Great  Sachems  to  enforce  obedience  to  the 
laws  and  customs,  and  also  the  correct  working  of  the  Order  in  their  respec- 
tive districts.  —  II,  184,  202. 

195.  It  is  imperative  that  a  Deputy  Great  Sachem  shall  have  received  the 
Great  Council  degree.  —  V,  257,  329. 

196.  A  Deputy  Great  Sachem  can  grant  a  dispensation  to  perform  the 
dedicatory  and  raising-up  ceremony  in   public.      And  palefaces,  ladies  and 
gentlemen,  can  be  admitted  to  the  wigwam  during  such  service.  —  V,  493,  539. 

DEPUTY  GREAT  INCOHONEES. 

/ 

197.  The  Great  Incohonee  shall  appoint  and  commission  a  Past  Sachem 
in  any  State  or  Territory  where  there  is  no  Great  Council  as  a  Deputy  Great 
Incohonee,  whose  duty  it  will  be  to  visit,  instruct,  and  raise  up  the  Chiefs  of 
Tribes  under  his  charge.     Prior  to  first  of  Corn  moon  in  each  great  sun  he 
shall  make  a  full  report  to  the  Great  Incohonee  of  their  condition,  and  such 
suggestions  as  he  may  deem  for  the  advantage  of  the  Order,  and  transmit  to 
the  Great  Chief  of  Records  such  wampum  as  he  may  have  received,  and  per- 
form such  other  duties  as  the  Great  Incohonee  may  desire.  — General  Laws. 

198.  Any  Past  Sachem  in  good  standing  is  eligible  to  be  appointed  as 
Deputy  Great  Incohonee.  —  VI,  12,  49,  64. 

199.  Deputy  Great  Incohonees  have  not  the  exclusive  right  to  institute 
Tribes  in  their  respective  reservations.  —  IV,  227. 

200.  A  Deputy  Great  Incohonee  cannot  declare  a  station  vacant  if  the 
elected  Chief  fails  to  present  himself  for  raising  up.     That  is  a  power  that  can 
be  exercised  only  by  the  Tribe.  —  VI,  15,  49. 

201.  A  Past  Deputy  Great  Incohonee  does  not  rank  as  Past  Great  Sachem 
after  the  formation  of  a  Great  Council.  —  VI,  420. 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

202.  It  is  not  proper  for  a  Deputy  Great  Incohonee  to  keep  in  his  posses- 
sion a  copy  of  the  work  of  the  Order.  —  II,  57,  142. 

203.  A  Tribe  is  not  bound  to  pay  the  expenses  of  the  Deputy  Groat  Inco- 
honee incurred  by  his  visit  to  raise  up  its  Chiefs,  unless  such  visit  is  made  by 
special  invitation  of  the  Tribe,  as  he  has  power  to  appoint  a  qualified  Chief  to 
perform  that  duty.  —  II,  183,  196,  202. 

DISMISSAL  CERTIFICATES. 

204.  A  member  suspended  for  non-payment  of  dues,  desirous  of  joining  a 
Tribe  in  the  same  reservation,  after  one  great  sun's  suspension,  shall  be 
entitled  to  receive,  and  the  Tribe  shall  grant,  upon  proper  application,  a  dis- 
missal certificate  upon  the  payment  of  not  less  than  one  fathom  nor  more  than 
one  great  sun's  dues. 

I.  A  member  suspended  for  non-payment  of  dues,  wishing  to  regain  mem- 
bership in  another  reservation,  shall  be  entitled  to  receive,  and  the  Tribe  shall 
grant,  upon  proper  application,  a  dismissal  certificate  upon  the  receipt  of  not 
less  than  one  fathom  nor  more  than  one  great  sun's  dues. 

II.  In  all  cases  wherein  a  Tribe  has  refused  to  reinstate  a  member  sus- 
pended for   non-payment  of  dues,  he  shall  be  entitled  to  receive,  and   the 
Tribe,  upon  proper  application,  shall  grant  a  dismissal  certificate  upon  the 
receipt  of  one  fathom.  — Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

205.  Where  the  books  of  an  extinct  Tribe  have  been  lost  or  destroyed,  the 
Great  Chief  of  Records,  upon  being  satisfied  of  the  good  standing  of  any 
member  of  such   extinct   Tribe,  may  issue   to   him   a  card  of  withdrawal. 
Where  the  books  of  an  extinct  Tribe  are  in  possession  of  the  Great  Chief  of 
Records,  he  may  issue  cards  to  former  members  of  the  extinct  Tribe ;  cards 
shall  have  the  same  privilege  as  a  card  issued  by  an  existing  Tribe.  —  V,  201 . 

206.  Dismissal  certificates  may  be  received  upon  deposit  in  any  Tribe,  but 
the  privilege  of  visiting  a  Tribe  shall  not  'be  awarded  to  the  holder  of  a  dis- 
missal certificate.  —  V,  201. 

207.  They  shall  be  in  the  form  following,  to  wit :  — 

IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  RED  MEN. 
To  all  whom  it  may  concern,  Fraternal  Greeting: 

This  certifies  that  ....  was  admitted  to  membership  in  ....  Tribe, 
No.  .  ,  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  .  .  .  .  ,  on  the  .  . 
sun,  .  .  .  moon,  G.S.D.  .  .  ,  by  .  .  .  .  ,  and  that  he  retained  his  member- 
ship in  said  Tribe  until  the  .  .  sun,  .  .  .  moon,  G.S.D.  .  .  ,  when  he  was 
suspended  for  non-payment  of  dues,  and  is  entirely  dismissed  from  member- 
ship in  said  Tribe. 

In  witness  whereof,  we  have  hereunto  subscribed  our  names  and  affixed  the 
seal  of  our  Tribe,  this  .  .  sun,  .  .  .  moon,  G.S.D.  .  .  . 

[SEAL]  Sachem. 

...  C.  of  R. 


REVISED   DIGEST. 


499 


The  certificate  must  have  printed  thereon  the  seal  of  the  Great  Council  of 
the  United  States  and  signature  of  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  thereof. 

208.  A  Tribe  is  not  compelled  to  grant  a  dismissal  card  to  a  suspended 
member  liable  to  criminal  charges,  provided  that  charges  have  been  preferred 
against  him.  —  V,  423,  435. 

209.  A  brother  of  an  extinct  Tribe,  who  has   been  suspended  for  non- 
payment of  dues,  upon  proper  application  to  the  Great  Chief  of  Records,  is 
entitled  to  receive  a  dismissal  certificate  upon  the  payment  of  one  fathom.  — 
VI,  14,  64. 

DIPLOMAS 

(OR  CERTIFICATES  OF  MEMBERSHIP). 

210.  The   only  authorized  Diploma,  Red   Men's   Chart   or  Certificate  of 
Membership,  is  the  one  issued  by  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  to 
be  procured  only  through  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  of  each  State  Great 
Council.  — VIII,  357. 

211.  Tribal  Chiefs  have  no  right  to  sign  and  affix  the  seal  of  the  Tribe  to 
any  Red  Man's  Chart,  Diploma  or  Certificate  of  Membership,,  except  those 
issued  by  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  Sfates.  —  VIII,  357. 

DUES. 

212.  A  brother  expelled  from  the  Order  cannot  pay  his  dues  to  the  Tribe 
pending  an  appeal.  —  IV,  303. 

213.  A  brother  suspended  for  non-payment  of  dues,  forfeits  all  claims  upon 
the  Tribe.  — IV,  5,  60. 

214.  A  State  Great  Council  has  no  right  to  make  or  approve  of  a  law  to  ' 
allow  a  Tribe  to  suspend  members  from  the  Order  for  non-payment  of  dues 
after  six  moons.  —  V,  92. 

215.  A  Tribe  may  deduct  the  seven  suns1  dues  from  the  seven  suns1  bene- 
fits.—IV,  259. 

ELECTIONS. 

216.  The  election  of  Great  Chiefs  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States  shall  take  place  on  the  second  sun  of  the  great  sun's  council,  at  the 
third  run,  setting  of  the  sun.     A  majority  of  votes  polled  shall  be  necessary 
to  an  election.     If  on  the  first  ballot  no  one  is  elected,  a  second  ballot  shall 
immediately  be  had,  and  if  no  choice  is  then  made,  a  third  ballot  shall  be 
had,  when  only  the  two  who  received  the  highest  number  of  votes  on  the 
second  ballot  shall  be  eligible.     Blank  votes  shall  not  be  counted.  —  Con- 
stitution G.  C.  U.  S. 

217.  The  Chiefs  of  a  State  Great  Council  shall  be  elected  by  ballot,  at  such 
time  and  in  such  manner  as  the  By-Laws  of  the  Great  Council  may  prescribe. 

,     218.    Great  Representatives  must  be  elected  at  the  same  time  and  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  Chiefs  of  a  State  Great  Council.  —  General  Laws. 

219.    In  elections  requiring  a  majority  of  the  whole  number  cast  to  elect, 
all  of  the  scattering  votes  must  be  counted.  —  I,  128. 


5  00  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

220.  A  Chief  of  a  State  Great  Council,  when  at  his  station  or  attending  to 
his  duties,  cannot  be  deprived  of  his  vote.  —  II,  44,  51,  55. 

221.  If  there  be  only  one  nominee   for  a  chieftaincy,  and   his  name  be 
found  upon  some  of  the  ballots,  he  is  elected,  although  such  ballots  are  in 
number  exceeded  by  blank  ballots.  —  III,  60,  61. 

222.  A  Representative  may  explain  his   vote  on  his  name   being  called 
during  the  calling  of  yeas  and  nays  after  the  main  question  has  been  ordered. 

-111,355- 

223.  It  is  proper  for  a  Representative  who  was  present  at  the  time  of  his 
nomination  to  a  chieftaincy  to  offer  his  declination  on  the  succeeding  sun.  — 

II,  49- 

224.  The  nomination,  election,  and  raising  up  of  Chiefs  of  a  Tribe  should 
take  place  under  '•  Rule  10,  New  Business,"  excepting  always  that  the  Great 
Chiefs  shall  be  at  liberty  to  exercise  their  discretion  at  visitations  or  institu- 
tion of  Tribes.  —  III,  191,  225. 

225.  It  is  not  within  the  province  of  a  Tribe  on  an  election  by  ballot  for 
Chiefs,  to  permit  a  brother  who  improperly  voted  to  announce  his  vote  in 
order  to  change  the  result ;  but  if  a  disqualified  brother  has  voted  the  ballot 
should  be  declared  null  and  vohd  and  a  new  ballot  be  ordered.  —  III,  191, 
226. 

226.  Failure  to  object  to  the  voting  of  disqualified   brothers,  although 
objections  to  such  voting  may  have  been  invited  by  the  Sachem,  avails  noth- 
ing ;  and  in  the  absence  of  local  law  governing  such  cases,  the  remedy  for 
the  result  of  an  election  at  which  disqualified  voters  have  participated,  is  to 
hold  another  ballot.  —  III,  191,  224,  226. 

227.  A  member  on  the  sleep  of  his  adoption  has  the  same  right  to  vote  on 
any  question  as  any  other  brother  of  the  same  degree.  —  III,  41. 

228.  No  member  can  be  required  to  divulge  his  reasons  for  casting  a  black 
twig.  —  III,  134,  162,  164. 

229.  The  correct  mode  of  voting  in  Great  Councils  is  the  usual  show  of 
the  Order. 

230.  If  an  application  receives  favorable  report,  is  balloted  upon,  and  two 
or  more  black  twigs  appear,  and  a  brother  states  that  the  twigs  were  put  in 
through   mistake,  a  new  ballot  may  be  ordered  at  once  under  the  circum- 
stances, and  not  lie  over  one  seven  suns.  —  IV,  159,  190. 

231.  The   adoption   of  the   report   of  .the   Committee   on  Elections  and 
Returns  settles  all   the  incidental   questions  which  it  was  required  to  pass 
upon  as  a  Returning  Board,  and  only  by  an  appeal  from  the  action  of  the 
Great  Council  adopting  that  report  could  its  acts  be  brought  in  question.  — 
V,  165. 

232.  The  nomination  and  election  of  'a  qualified  person  would  hold  good 
whether  he  was  present  or  absent  at  the  election,  if  not  forbidden  by  the  By- 
Laws  or  Rules.  —  V,  258,  329. 

233.  In  the  case  of  a  contested  election,  or  a  protest  against  the  admission 
of  a  Representative,  a  committee  of  five  shall  be  appointed,  neither  of  whom 
shall   be   members   of  the  State  Great  Council  from  which  the  contest  or 


REVISED   DIGEST. 


501 


protest  originates.  It  shall  without  delay  examine  all  evidence  produced  by 
either  side,  and  report  the  facts  to  the  Great  Council,  with  such  recommen- 
dation as  may  be  deemed  just ;  provided,  that  in  all  cases  of  a  contest  or  a 
protest,  the  parties  contesting  or  protesting  shall  file  a  copy  of  the  same  with 
the  Great  Sachem  of  the  reservation  from  which  the  brothers  hail,  at  least 
ten  suns  prior  to  the  great  sun's  council  of  this  Great  Council.  —  By-Laws 
G.  C.  U.  S. 

EXTINCT  TRIBES. 

234.  All  regalia,  costumes,  seal,  books,  and  papers  of  the  Order  shall  be 
surrendered  to  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  on  the  extinction  of  a 
State  Great  Council  or  Tribe  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of 
the  United  States.  —  II,  83. 

235.  The  numbers  indicate  the  numerical  positions  of  the  Tribes  in  their 
respective  reservations.     To  give  the  names  and  numbers  of  extinct  Tribes 
to  new  petitioners  is  to  falsify  their  places  in  the  Order  and  to  give  seniority 
to  junior  Tribes.     The  effects  of  extinct  Tribes  are  required  to  be  surren- 
dered to  their  Great  Councils,  in  trust,  to  be  restored  whenever  a  legal  num- 
ber of  its  former  members  may  apply  for  a  restoration  of  its  charter,  under 
such  laws  as  its  Great  Council  has  adopted.  —  IV,  91,  109. 

236.  A  legal  number  of  the  members  of  an  extinct  Tribe  who  were  in' good 
standing  when  the  Tribe  ceased  to  exist,  can,  upon  application  to  the  proper 
authority,  receive  a  dispensation  to  re-light  the  council  brand  of  said  Tribe, 
subject  to  the  laws  of  the  Great  Council  to  which  it  may  be  subordinate,  and 
all  other  members  of  said  extinct  Tribe  must  make  application  for  admission 
in  due  form  of  law,  subject  to  examination  by  a  committee  and  to  ballot.  — 

IV,  353.391- 

237.  When  the  charter  of  a  Tribe  has  been  surrendered  and  an  application 
is  made  in  due  form  for  the  reorganization  of  said  Tribe,  the  Great  Sachem 
may,  at  his  discretion,  grant  a  dispensation  for  the  same,  and  at  the  next 
council  fire  of  the  State  Great  Council  a  new  charter  may  be  granted  to  the 
brothers  making  such  application.  —  IV,  353,  391. 

238.  The   Great  Sachem   has   the   right   to  demand  the  property  of  an 
extinct  Tribe,  to  be  held  in  trust  for  the  future  use  of  the  members  of  such 
Tribe.  —  V,  142,  196. 

FORMS. 

239.  The   forms  written  or  unwritten  shall   not   be  altered   or  amended 
unless  the  proposed  change  be  submitted  in  writing,  after  being  twice  read, 
on  different  suns,  and  be  adopted  by  the  votes  of  three-fourths  of  the  mem- 
bers present  entitled  to  vote. 

FORMS  OF  CHARGES  —  SEE  CODE  OF  PROCEDURE. 

FEES. 

240.  A  State  Great  Council  may  establish  its  own  fees  for  adoption  and 
degrees. 


502 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 


FUNDS. 


241 .  The  funds  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  must  be  de- 
posited in  such  places  as  will  allow  interest  on  the  daily  balances,  and  the 
interest  so  accruing,  and  received  must  be  added  to  the  Permanent  Fund.  — 
VIII,  125. 

STATE  GREAT  COUNCIL  —  How  COMPOSED. 

242.  A  Great  Council   shall   be   composed  of  Past  Sachems.     It  is  the 
supreme  tribunal  of  the  Order  in  the  State,  district,  territory,  or  country  in 
which  it  is  located,  and  no  Tribe  or  branch   of  the  Order  can  exist  therein 
without  its  sanction.     Every  member  shall  receive  the  Great  Council  degree 
before  he  can  take  his  seat.     The  Great  Council  shall  always  be  opened  in, 
that  degree  for  the  introduction  of  Representatives,  who  shall  be  Past  Sa- 
chems.    The  Great  Council  may  establish  regulations  in  regard  to  represen- 
tation therein. 

I.  By  virtue  of  authority  from  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States, 
Great  Councils  may  be  established  in  States,  districts,  territories,  or  the 
Dominion  of  Canada.  They  shall  be  governed  by  their  charters,  the  Consti- 
tution and  By-Laws  of  this  Great  Council,  the  General  Laws  adopted  for 
their  government,  and  such  laws  as  they  may  adopt  in  accordance  with  the 
same.  —  General  Laws. 

243.  No  one  can  institute  a  Great  Council  except  the  Great  Incohonee,  or 
a  member  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  duly  authorized  by  him. 

-¥,610,677. 

244.  A  Great  Council  has  no  power  or  right  to  legislate  in  regard  to  the 
status  of  the  first  Prophet  of  a  Tribe  created  by  the  Great  Incohonee.  —  IV, 
181,  191. 

245.  A  Past  Great  Sachem  in  good  standing,  who  is  not  a  Representative, 
and  against  whom  no  charge  is  pending,  can  fill  any  position  he  may  be 
appointed  or  elected  to.  — V,  373,  428. 

246.  A  Chief  of  a  Great  Council  whose  Tribe  surrenders  its  charter  must 
obtain  a  withdrawal  card  from  the  Great  Chief  of  Records,  and  deposit  it  in 
another  Tribe  within  three  moons,  or  his  chieftaincy  shall  be  forfeited.  —  VI, 
119,  176. 

247.  A  Great  Council  has  a  right  to  adopt  an  amendment  to  its  Constitu- 
tion, permitting  Tribes  to  hold  councils  once  a  moon.  —  IV,  253,  279,  299. 

248.  A  Great  Council  may  be  reprimanded  by  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States,  for  careless  and  unheeded  infringement  of  laws.  —  I,  8,  9. 

249.  A  Great  Council  is  allowed  to  kindle  its  council  fires  at  such  places  as 
it  may  from  time  to  time  determine  upon.  —  I,  216. 

250.  Great  Councils  are  required  to  hold  a  council  in  every  great  sun 
according  to  Article  III,  General  Laws:  "This  Great  Council  shall  hold  at 
least  one  great  sun  council."  —  V,  529,  540. 

251.  The  Chiefs  forming  a  Great  Council   must  be   Past  Sachems.  —  V, 
609,  671. 


REVISED  DIGEST. 


503 


252.  A  Great  Council  must  keep  its  records  in  the  English  language.  —  III, 
223  ;  V,  610,  671. 

253.  In  case  of  the  division  of  a  State,  the  Tribes  of  the  newly  formed  State 
must  establish  a  Great  Council  or  put  themselves  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  —  II,  233,  251. 

254.  Great  Councils  have  the  right  to  fix  the  time  at  which  the  six  moons 
terms  of  Tribes  shall  end,  but  they  should  so  arrange  that  the  terms  shall 
commence  and  end  uniformly.  —  IV,  196;  VIII,  85. 

255.  Great   Councils    failing   to   pay  per  capita   tax   in   accordance  with 
Article  V,  By-Laws  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  shall  be  deprived  of 
their  vote,  and  the  Representatives  thereof  shall  forfeit  all  claims  to  mileage 
and  per  diem. — VII,  669,  670. 

256.  Great  Councils  shall  have  full  authority  and  control  over  all  Tribes 
and  other  branches  of  the  Order  in  their  reservations,  subject  to  the  laws  of 
this  Great  Council.     They  shall  enforce  a  strict  adherence  to  the  forms,  cere- 
monies, style  of  regalia,  jewels,  charges,  blanks,  and  other  supplies  furnished 
by  this  Great  Council,  and  shall  be  responsible  for  any  violation  they  may 
sanction   or  allow,  and  no  Tribe  or  Council  can  legally  exist  within  their 
reservations  without  their  sanction  and  authority.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

257.  Great  Councils  alone  have  the  right  to  grant  permission  to  Tribes  to 
hold  trading  posts.  —  VIII,  563. 

HONORS. 

258.  A  Great  Council  or  Tribe   does  not   possess  authority  to  vary  the 
period  of  a  chief's  term  of  office  in  a  Tribe  from  that  provided  by  the  laws 
and  ceremonies  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  —  III,  134,  162, 
164. 

259.  In  all  Tribes  instituted  under  the  immediate  authority  of  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States,  more  than  two  moons  prior  to  the  close  of  the 
term,  the  chiefs  elected  at  the  time  of  such  institution,  and  who  may  serve 
until  the  end  of  the  term,  shall  be  entitled  to  the  full  honors  of  their  several 
positions.  —  III,  232,  285. 

260.  If  a  Great  Council  changes  the  time  of  the  election  of  Chiefs,  the 
terms  of  the  said  Chiefs  must  cease,  but  such  change  in  the  term  cannot  work 
a  forfeiture  of  the  honors.  —  III,  1 16,  117. 

261.  The  Chiefs  of  a  Tribe  which  surrenders  its  charter  previous  to  the 
end  of  a  full  elective  term,  forfeit  the  honors  thereof.  —  III,  190,  225. 

262.  The   first   Prophet   of  a   Tribe   is  entitled   to   rank  as  Senior  Past 
Sachem.  —  IV,  82,  107. 

263.  A  Sachem  who  has  served  a  majority  of  the  sleeps  of  his  term,  and  is 
in  good  standing,  and  resigns,  is  not  entitled  to  the  honors  of  Past  Sachem. 

264.  The  brother  elected  to  fill  the  unexpired  term  of  the  chieftaincy  is 
entitled  to  the  honors  of  the  position.  —  IV,  254,  289. 

265.  When   Great   Chiefs   announce   themselves  as  such,  and   enter   the 
council  chamber,  the  Sachem  must  call  up  the  Tribe.  —  V.  141,  196. 

266.  When  Deputy  Great   Chiefs  announce   themselves  as  such   for   the 


504 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 


purpose  of  raising  up  the  Chiefs  of  a  Tribe,  the  Sachem  shall  call  up  the  Tribe 
as  soon  as  they  enter  the  council  chamber.  —  V,  141,  196. 

267.  Great  Councils  may  adopt  laws  conferring  the  rank,  title,  rights,  and 
privileges  of  a  Past  Sachem  upon  each  of  the  Chiefs  of  a  Tribe  elected  at  the 
institution  thereof;  provided,  such  Chiefs  serve  to  the  end  of  the  term  for 
which  they  were  elected.  —  General  Laws. 

INCORPORATION  —  ACT  OF. 

268.  An  act  to  incorporate  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

WHEREAS,  The  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  is  an  Order  instituted  for  the 
purpose  of  affording  relief  to  such  of  its  members  as  may  be  suffering  from 
sickness  or  distress,  or  other  causes,  and  for  the  furtherance  of  the  general 
welfare  of  the  members  thereof. 

AND  WHEREAS,  The  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  of  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men,  a  body  organized  for  the  better  government  of  the  Order, 
desire  for  the  more  effectual  accomplishment  of  its  charitable  objects,  and  as 
a  means  for  the  better  execution  of  the  purposes  of  its  organization,  to  be 
constituted  a  body  politic  and  corporate. 

SECTION  i.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives 
'  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania,  in  General  Assembly  met,  and  it  is 
hereby  enacted  of  the  same. 

That  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men,  is  hereby  constituted  a  body  politic  and  corporate  in  deed  and  in  law, 
by  the  name,  style,  and  title  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  which  corporation  shall  consist  of  Louis  Muth, 
C.  G.  Bittorf,  William  M.  Fields,  R.  F.  Gardner,  L.  Vanfossen,  William  S. 
Quigley,  S.  Sullivan,  John  L.  Boker,  William  G.  Gorsuch,  G.  W.  Lindsay, 
George  H.  M.  Marriot,  William  Colton,  Robert  Sullivan,  Richard  Marley,  and 
William  H.  Ford,  of  Maryland;  Andrew  J.  Baker,  Morris  H.  Gorham,  E.  F. 
Stewart,  C.  Weistenberg,  William  Adrain,  L.  C.  Pierce,  A.  Gibbs,  W.  J. 
Goodwin,  and  A.  Cameron,  of  Pennsylvania;  Joshua  Maris,  William  R.  Mac- 
Farlane  and  S.  Rianhard,  of  Delaware;  J.  A.  Parsons,  John  D.  Moore,  B.  F. 
Wood,  and  Charles  F.  Johnson,  of  New  Jersey;  J.  A.  Burch,  Thomas  Rich, 
Moses  L.  Merrill,  and  A.  C.  Prather,  of  the  District  of  Columbia;  George 
Berg,  of  Missouri;  T.  A.  Bosley  and  David  Baker,  of  Ohio;  A.  J.  Francis 
and  R.  B.  McCracken,  of  Kentucky;  Hugh  Latham,  E.  L.  Lunsford,  and 
J.  B.  Shaner,  of  Virginia;  Theobald  Gachter  and  August  Roettger,  of  West 
Virginia;  Alfred  Shaw,  of  Louisiana,  and  all  other  persons  who  are  now 
members,  or  who  shall  hereafter  be  admitted  as  such,  agreeably  to  the  Con- 
stitution and  By-Laws  of  the  said  Great  Council,  and  by  the  said  corporate 
name  shall  have  perpetual  succession,  and  shall  be  forever  capable  in  law  to 
.take,  hold,  and  sell  real  estate,  in  fee  simple  or  otherwise,  and  to  mortgage 
and  let  the  same,  and  to  take  and  hold  real  or  personal  estate,  by  gift,  grant, 
devise,  or  bequest,  or  other  lawful  means,  and  sell  or  dispose  of  the  same ;  to 


REVISED  DIGEST. 


505 


have  a  common  seal,  and  the  same  to  break,  alter,  and  renew  at  pleasure  ;  to 
sue  and  be  sued,  and  generally  to  do  all  such  matters  and  things  that  may  be 
lawful  and  necessary  for  them  to  do  for  the  furtherance  of  the  objects  recited 
in  the  preamble  of  this  act. 

SECTION  2.  The  said  Great  Council  may  hold  its  annual  or  other  sessions 
in  this  or  any  other  State  of  the  United  States,  and  may  locate  its  principal 
office  at  such  place  from  time  to  time  as  it  may  elect  within  the  said  limits. 

SECTION  3.  That  the  said  Great  Council  shall  have  power  from  time  to 
time  to  establish,  and  make,  and  put  into  execution  such  Constitution,  By- 
Laws,  Rules,  and  Regulations,  as  may  be  passed  from  time  to  time  by  the 
Great  Council,  and  the  same  to  revoke,  annul,  alter,  or  amend  at  pleasure ; 
provided,  that  the  said  Constitution,  By-Laws,  Rules,  and  Regulations  be  not 
repugnant  to  the  Constitution  and  the  laws  of  the  United  States,  or  of  the 
Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania,  nor  repugnant  to  the  provisions  of  this  act. 

SECTION  4.  The  Legislature  reserves  the  right  to  modify,  alter,  or  annul  the 
privileges  hereby  granted,  in  such  manner,  however,  as  to  do  no  injustice  to 
the  corporator.  JAMES  R.  KELLEY, 

Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 
DAVID  FLEMING, 

Speaker  of  the  Senate. 

Approved,  the  thirtieth  day  of  March,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
Sixty-Six"  A.  G.  CURTIN. 

269.  There  is  no  law  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  which 
prohibits  a  Tribe  in  any  reservation  from  applying  to  the  proper  authorities 
for  an  act  of  incorporation.  —  V,  179,  228. 

INDIAN  RELICS. 

270.  The  Great  Chief  of  Records  of  the  United  States  is  instructed  to 
have  a  suitable  case  made  for  the  protection  and  preservation  of  the  Indian 
relics,  or  other  matters  that  may  be  presented  to  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States.  —  V,  233. 

271.  Great  Councils  are  recommended  to  gather  and  preserve  the  litera- 
ture, trophies,  and  antiquities  of  the  Aboriginees  of  America.  —  V,  233. 

INSURANCE. 

272.  No  corporation  or  association  is  permitted  to  use  the  name  of  the 
Improved  Order"  of  Red  Men  under  which  to  conduct  the  business  of  insur- 
ance, without  the  consent  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States. 

LAWS. 

273.  By- Laws  in  conformity  with  the  Constitution  of  the  Great  Council  of 
the  United  States  may  be  made.     Also,  General  Laws  for  the  government 
of  Great  Councils  and  laws  for  the  government  of  Tribes  under  the  immediate 
jurisdiction  of  this  Great  Council. 


506  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

274.  Great  Councils  shall  have  full  power  to  enact  general  laws  for  the 
government  of  Tribes  and  Councils  of  Degree  of  Pocahontas  within  their 
jurisdiction.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

275.  The  laws  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  are  the  supreme 
authority  of  the  Order.     Local  laws  which  conflict  with  those  of  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States  are  null  and  void,  even  if  by  some  error  they 
have  been  approved  by  the  committee  on  Constitution  and  By-Laws  of  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  —  V,  610,  671. 

276.  A  law  of  a  State  Great  Council  to  be  valid  must  be  endorsed  by  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States.     A  Great  Council  of  a  State  cannot 
make  a  law  that  vitiates  a  law  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  or 
violates  any  laws  thereof.  —  V,  608,  671. 

277.  All  constructions  given  to  law  points  decided  in  appeal  cases,  deci- 
sions, and  rulings  of  each  council,  shall  be  collected  and  published  in  an 
appendix  attached  to  the  records  of  the  council  at  which  the  same  shall  have 
been  made  or  determined,  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the   Great  Chief  of 
Records  to  prepare  the  same.  —  IV,  220. 

278.  The  power  to  set  aside  a  positive  law  of  a  State  Great  Council  is  not 
vested  in  the  Great  Incohonee.  —  IV,  4,  60. 

279.  Amendments  admitted  under  the  Constitution  of  the  Great  Council 
of  the  United  States,  relating  to  the  amendment  of  the  By-Laws,  may  be 
amended  and  the  subject  discussed  after  the  third  reading.  —  V,  304. 

280.  The   Great   Incohonee   has   not   the   power  to  render  decisions  to 
individual  members  of  a  State  where  a  Great  Council  is  in  existence.  — V, 
436,  442. 

281.  WHEREAS,  All  power  and  authority  enjoyed,  exercised,  and  possessed 
by  the  several  Great  Councils  exist  only  by  virtue  of  their  charters  and  sanc- 
tion and  consent  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  duly  granted 
them ;   Therefore,  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  doth  adopt  and 
establish   a   Constitution  or  General   Law  for  their  government.  —  General 
Laws. 

282.  The  Great  Council  has  full  power  to  enact  By- Laws  for  its  govern- 
ment, and  General  Laws  for  the  regulation  of  Tribes  and  Councils  of  Poca- 
hontas   under   its   jurisdiction ;    provided,   they   do    not    conflict    with    the 
Constitution  and  By-Laws  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  and 
these  General  Laws.     When  said  laws  are  adopted,  three  copies  thereof,  cer. 
tified  by  the  Great  Sachem  and  Great  Chief  of  Records,  shall  be  transmitted 
to  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States, 
who  shall   immediately  refer  them  to  the  Committee   on  Constitution   and 
Laws,  upon  whose  approval  they  shall  be  binding  upon  the  Great  Council.  — 
General  Laws. 

283.  Objections  to  the  manner  in  which  the  laws  of  a  Great  Council  have 
been  adopted  must  be  brought  before  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States 
by  way  of  an  appeal ;  otherwise  it  is  the  duty  of  the  committee  to  approve 
said  Constitution,  if  in  conformitv  with  the  laws  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States.  —  III,  162. 


REVISED   DIGEST.  507 

284.  A  copy  of  all  the  Constitutions  and  By-Laws  of  Great  Councils  and 
Tribes,  which  shall  have  been  submitted  to  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States  for  approval,  shall   be  filed   among  the  archives  of  the  State  Great 
Council.  —  III,  373. 

285.  Great  Councils  have  authority  to  promulgate  a  Constitution  for  Tribes 
under  their  jurisdiction,  and  all  such  Tribes  must  conform  thereto  and  adopt 
By-Laws  accordingly.  —  III,  191,  226. 

286.  A  State  Great  Council  is  the  proper  body  to  construe  its  Constitution 
and  Laws,  and  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  can  only  consider  the 
case  after  the  action  of  the  State  Great  Council  shall  have  been  had,  and  an 
appeal   regularly  taken  to  the   Great  Council  of  the   United   States.  —  IV, 
21,58. 

287.  Tribes  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States  are  obliged  to  conform  to  the  Constitution  adopted   by  that 
body  for  their  government,  and  all  By-Laws  must  be  in  conformity  to  said 
Constitution  and  receive  the  approval  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States.  —  IV,  81,  101,  102. 

288.  All  amendments  to  the  By-Laws  of  Great  Councils,  or  By-Laws  of 
Tribes  under  the  jurisdiction  of  this  Great  Council,  must  be  attested  by  the 
seal,  and  signed  by  the  Chiefs  thereof,  and  all  such  proposed  amendments  not 
so  attested  shall  not  be  received  by  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States. 
-IV,  300. 

289.  Laws  do  not  go  into  effect  until  promulgated  by  the  Great  Council, 
under  seal,  and  the  signatures  of  the  Great  Incohonee  and  Great  Chief  of 
Records. —Vol.  VIJI,  141. 

290.  Tribes  have  the  right  to  enact  a  law  compelling  Chiefs  to  memorize 
the  charges  prior  to  being  raised  up.  —  IX,  85. 

LOTTERIES  OR  GIFT  ENTERPRISES. 

291.  The  giving,  holding,  getting  up,  and  advertising  any  gift  enterprise, 
lottery,  or  anything  in  the  nature  thereof,  in  which  the  name  of  the  Order  or 
of  any  Tribe  thereof,  is,  or  may  be  used,  is  prohibited.  —  III,  80,  100,  101. 

MARK. 

292.  The  dimensions  of  the  mark  or  b.adge  to  be  used  as  a  pin  shall  be 
three-quarters  of  an  inch  long,  and  half  an  inch  wide ;  and  for  a  charm  or 
totem,  to  suspend  by  a  watch  chain  or  otherwise,  shall  be  one  and  a  quarter 
inches  in  length,  by  seven-eighths  of  an  inch  wide.  —  IV,  22,  27. 

293.  The  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  in  adopting  the  report  on 
badge,  did  not  intend  to  confer  the  exclusive  right  upon  any  member  of  the 
Order  to  manufacture  said  badge,  but  intended  to  be  open  to  free  compe- 
tition. —  IV,  139. 

294.  It  is  unlawful  to  wear  the  "mark"  or  "sign  manual"  in  any  other 
way  than  is  specified  in  the  private  work.  —  III,  191,  224,  226. 

295.  Members  of  the  Order  will  be  entitled  to  wear  inscribed  upon  their 


508  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

mark  or  badge  only  the  emblems  of  the  degree  to  which  they  have  attained. 
—  IV,  22,  27. 

296.  The  use  of  the  motto  or  any  of  the  words  or  emblems  of  the  Order 
as  an  advertisement  of  any  business  is  a  gross  violation  of  the  laws  of  the 
Order,  and  is  prohibited.  —  VI,  512. 

MEMBERSHIP. 

297.  The  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  shall  be  composed  of:  — 

I.  All  Past  Great  Incohonees  and  Past  Great  Sachems. 

II.  The  elective  Chiefs  of  the  Great  Council. 

III.  The  Representatives  of  State  Great  Councils. 

IV.  Great  Representatives  must  be  Past  Sachems  in  good  standing  in 
their  Great  Councils.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

298.  A  State  Great  Council  shall  be  composed  of  Past  Sachems.  —  Gen- 
eral Laws. 

299.  Degree   Councils   shall    be   composed   of    members   of    the   Chiefs 
Degree.  —  General  Laws. 

300.  No  person  shall  be  adopted  into  a  Tribe  of  the  Order  except  a  free 
white  male,  of  good  moral  character  and  standing,  of  the  full  age  of  twenty- 
one  great  suns,  who  believes  in  the  existence  of  a  Great  Spirit,  the  Creator 
and  Preserver  of  the  Universe,  and  who  is  possessed  of  some  known  repu- 
table means  of  support.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

301.  Any  brother  of  the   Order  holding  a  withdrawal  card  desirous  of 
becoming  a  member  of  a  Tribp  shall  make  application  as  in  case  of  a  pale- 
face, accompanying  his  application  with  his  withdrawal  card,  which  shall  be 
referred   to   a   committee   of  three,  whose  duty  it   shall  be  to  report  as  to 
his  standing  and  qualifications  at  a  stated  Council.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

302.  An  application  for  adoption  into  a  Tribe  must  be  recommended  by 
two  brothers  in  good  standing,  and  be  accompanied  by  one-half  the  adoption 
fee.     The  application  shall  be  referred  to  a  committee  of  three,  who  shall 
make  a  strict  investigation   of  the   health,  character,  and  qualifications  of 
the  applicant,  and  report  at  the  next  Council.  — Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

303.  Any  member   of  the    Improved  Order   of  Red  Men  who  has  been 
exalted  to  the  Chiefs  Degree,  and  is  in  good  standing  in  his  Tribe,  and  any 
woman  over  eighteen  years  of  age  and  of  good  moral  character,  shall  be 
eligible  to  membership  in  any  Council  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas.  —  Gen- 
eral Rules  D.  P.  , 

304.  No  brother  of  this  Order  shall  be  permitted  to  hold  membership 
with  the  Order  known  as  the  Independent  Order  of  Red  Men,  and  any 
brother  persisting  in  associating  himself  therewith  may  be  expelled  forthwith. 
-  I,  48- 

305.  It  is  inconsistent  with  the  established  principles  of  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men  as  a  beneficial  organization  to  admit  any  class  of  honorary 
or  non-beneficial  members.  —  III,  118. 


REVISED  DIGEST.  509 

306.  All  persons  who  are  in  anywise  connected  with  other  organizations 
which  have  appropriated  any  part  of  the  name  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men  are  disqualified  for  membership. —  III,  191,  224,  225. 

307.  The  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  has  no  power  to  grant  dis- 
pensations to  adopt   minors    under    twenty-one  great   suns   of    age.  —  III, 
263,  272. 

308.  This  Order  possesses  no  dominion  over  the  conscience  of  its  mem- 
bers.    A  brother   may  renounce   the  Order,  but  said    renunciation   cannot 
release  the  member  from  amenability  for  matters  anterior  to  his  renunciation. 
If  a  renunciation  in  due  form  comes  to  the  knowledge  of  a  Tribe,  and  the 
member  is  in  good  standing,  and  the  renunciation  is  without  disrespect  to  the 
Order,  or  the  Tribe,  it  can  but  strike  his  name  from  the  roll.     With  such 
renunciation,  even  verbal,  all   claims   upon  the  Order  for  benefits  or  relief 
become  void.  —  III,  266,  278. 

309.  A  brother  cannot  hold  membership  in  more  than  one  Tribe  at  the 
same  time.     Any  brother  obtaining  membership  in  a  Tribe  while  still  a  mem- 
ber of  another  Tribe,  would  be  subject  to  charges,  and  if  proved  guilty,  to 
expulsion.  —  V,  142,  196. 

310.  The  North  American  Indians  are  not  eligible  to  membership.  —  IV, 

36,  54- 

311.  Descendants  of  the  Indian  race  are  eligible  to  membership. —  IV,  326. 

312.  A  Tribe  which  becomes  extinct  and  is  reorganized,  may  refuse,  after 
such  reorganization,  to  reinstate  a  former  member  who  was  in  arrears  at  the 
time  the  Tribe  became  extinct.  —  IV,  725. 

313.  Candidates  who  may  be  unable  to  give  any  of  the  signs,  grips,  or 
salutations  oy  reason  of  the  loss  of  an  arm,  are  required  and  instructed  to 
repeat  verbally  at  the  different  stages  of  their  progress,  through  the  adoption 
degree,  or  other  ceremonies  of  the  Order,  the  manner  in  which  they  would 
be  required  to  give  the  same,  if  in  the  full  possession  of  all  their  members.  — 
IV,  296. 

314.  A  Tribe  has  not  the  right  to  debar  a  member  from  participating  in 
any  business,  or  at  an  election  for  Chiefs,  as  long  as  he  is  financially  qualified. 
-IV,  4,  60. 

315.  A  committee  to  which  an  application  for  adoption  from  a  paleface  has 
beeen  referred  cannot   report  leave  to  withdraw,  but  can  only  report  as  to  his 
character  and  fitness.  — IV,  159,  190. 

316.  The  members  to  whom  a  charter  may  be  restored  shall  have  entire 
control  of  the  subject  of  admitting  or  rejecting  members,  and"  the  fact  that 
the  applicant  was  formerly  a  member  of  the  Tribe,  previous  to  the  surrender 
of  its  charter,  does  not  give  him  any  rights  as  an  applicant  over  any  other 
petitioner.     It  is  the  duty  of  resuscitated  Tribes  to  furnish  all  former  mem- 
bers who  may  desire  them  with  cards  or  dismissal  certificates.  —  IV,  194. 

317.  A  dispensation  may  be  granted  by  the  Great  Incohonee  to  elect  and 
adopt  a  paleface  into  a  Tribe  of  an  adjoining  State  where  there  is  no  Great 
Council,  with  a  view  of  instituting  a  Tribe  in  that  State.  —  IV,  353,  376. 

318.  Membership  in  an  existing  Tribe  is  necessary  to  good  standing  in  a 
Great  Council,  either  as  a  Chief  or  member.  —  V,  142,  196. 


510  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

319.  The  loss  of  one  leg  will  not  disqualify  a  paleface  for  adoption  into  our 
Order.  —VI,  14,  49,  64,  119,  176. 

320.  The  consent  to  adopt  a  paleface  of  another  jurisdiction  may  be  asked 
by  the  Tribe  directly  of  the  proper  authority  of  the  reservation  wherein  the 
paleface  resides.  — VI,  49,  66. 

321.  Palefaces  who  have  lost  the  sight  of  both  eyes  cannot  be  adopted  into 
the  Order.  —Vol.  VIII,  167. 

322.  Advanced  age  is  not  of  itself  a  disqualification  from  membership. 
Tribes  cannot  enact   a   law  prohibiting  the  adoption   of  a   paleface  after  a 
certain  age.     Tribes  may  require  an  applicant  at  an  advanced  age  to  pay  a 
fee  so  large  that  it  would  be  considered  an  equivalent  for  guaranteeing  the 
payment  of  benefits  to  him.  —  IX,  23. 

NON-RESIDENT. 

323.  No  Tribe  shall  adopt  a  paleface  resident  of  another  State  reservation 
unless  by  consent  of  the  Great  Sachem  of  such   reservation ;    nor  confer 
degrees  upon  a  member  of  another  Tribe,  except  by  permission,  under  seal, 
of  the  Tribe  to  which  said  member  belongs.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

PARLIAMENTARY  LAW. 

324.  An  amendment  to  a  motion  may  be  accepted  by  the  one  who  made 
the  motion,  without  the  consent  of  the  one  who  seconded  it.  —  III,  367,  368. 

325.  A  measure  or  report  adopted  in  portions  or  sections,  a  motion  there- 
after to  adopt  the  entire  report  as  a  whole  ruled  out  of  order.  —  II.  256,  257. 

326.  A  resolution  similar  to  one  just  voted  down  cannot  be  renewed  at 
the  same  council  only  through  a  motion  to  reconsider.  —  III,  343,  349. 

327.  A  motion  to  strike  from  the  record  the  names  of  those  who  made 
motions,  not  in  order.  —  III,  159. 

328.  A  member  who,  in  debate,  uses  indecorous  language  and  is  declared 
out  of  order,  does  not  thereby  lose  his  right  to  the  floor.  —  III,  173. 

329.  Matters  indefinitely  postponed  cannot  again  be  brought  up  before 
the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  before  the  next  great  sun  council. — 
II,  80,  85. 

330.  A  subject  referred  to  a  committee  cannot  be  indefinitely  postponed 
while  it  is  still  in  the  hands  of  the  committee,  the  subject  not  being  before 
the  Great  Council.  —  II,  83. 

331.  Cushing's  Manual  adopted  by  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States 
as  the  guide  when  the  Rules  of  Order  do  not  provide.  —  III,  115. 

332.  When  a  substitute  is  offered  for  a  resolution,  an  amendment  can  be 
offered  to  the  original  motion  after  the  substitute  has  been  rejected.  —  III, 
251. 

333.  A  motion  to  quench  the  council  fire  cannot  be  entertained  in  any 
Tribe  until  arriving  at  the  order,  as  laid  down  in  the  Ritual,  entitled  "  New 
Business."     Should  the  motion  prevail,  the  council  fire  must  be  quenched  in 
due  and  regular  form.  —  IV,  302. 


REVISED  DIGEST.  511 

334.  It  is  not  necessary  to  make  a  motion  to  receive  and  refer  to  a  com- 
mittee an  application  for  adoption ;  nor  to  accept  the  report  of  the  committee 
and  proceed  to  ballot.  —  IV,  254,  298. 

335.  A  Great  Council  has  authority  to  amend  their  Rules  of  Order,  pro- 
vided such  amendments  do  not  conflict  with  any  law  of  the  Great  Council 
of  the  United  States.  —IV,  254,  298. 

336.  A  point  of  order  that  a  Representative,  having  spoken  once  upon  a 
question,  is  not  in  order  to  speak  a  second  time  until  all  desiring  to  speak 
have  an  opportunity  to  do  so,  not  well  taken  unless  raised  as  soon  as  the 
speaker  commences.  —  IV,  379. 

337.  The  adoption  of  the  records  of  the  previous  council  has  no  bearing 
upon  the  subject-matter  under  consideration  at  such  council.  — II,  39. 

338.  Under  Rule  10  of  the  Ritual  "New  Business,"  any  business  may  be 
considered  that  had  not  been  introduced  before.     But  when  all  the  business 
submitted  has  been  transacted  under  said  rule,  there  is  nothing  to  preclude 
other  business  being  introduced  and  acted  upon  under  the  next  rule.     (Rule 
II.)— Ill,  40,  54. 

339.  The  effect  of  a  protest  is  not  to  destroy  the  validity  of  any  act  done, 
but  simply  to  enable  members  to  place  upon  record  the  individual  sentiments 
of  the  protestants.  —  V,  166. 

340.  When   a  resolution  is  referred  to  a  committee  it  has   the  right   to 
present  a  report  expressing  their  views  on  the  subject  referred  to  it.  —  Vol. 
VIII,  page  138. 

341.  A  resolution  which  is  mandatory  and  the  same  intended  to  make  a 
change  either  in  the  regalia,  forms,  ceremonies,  or  other  private  work,  written 
or  unwritten,  requires   a   three-fourths   vote   of  the   members   present  and 
entitled  to  vote.  —  Vol.  VIII,  page  530. 

PARLIAMENTARY  LAW. 

342.  The  Rules  of  Order  adopted  by  the  Great  Council  is  its  Parliamentary 
Law,  and  take  precedence  of  any  other  code  or  manual.     Any  other  law  or 
rule  applies  only  to  cases  not  provided  for  in  the  Rules  of  Order. 

RULES  OF  ORDER. 

I.  The  Great  Incohonee  may  speak   to   points   of  order,  rising   for  that 
purpose.     Before   putting  a   question  he  shall  ask :   "  Is  the  Great  Council 
ready  for  the  question?"     If  no  brother  address  him  he  shall  rise  and  put  the 
question,  after  which  it  will  not  be  in  order  to  address  the  Great  Council 
upon  the  question. 

II.  No  brother  shall  be  permitted  to  vote  or  speak  unless  clothed  in  regalia 
according  to  his  rank  or  station. 

III.  Every  brother  when    he    rises    to   speak    shall   address   the   Great 
Incohonee  in  a  proper  manner,  and  no  brother  shall  pass  out  of  the  wigwam, 
or  otherwise  disturb  the  council,  except  to  call  to  order. 

IV.  All  personalities  and  indecorous  language  or  reflection  upon  the  Great 
Council,  or  its  members,  are  positively  prohibited. 


512 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 


V.  No  brother  shall  speak  more  than  once  upon  the  same  question  until 
all  have  had  an  opportunity  so  to  do,  nor  more  than  twice  without  permission 
from  the  Great  Council. 

VI.  If  a  brother,  while  speaking,  be  called  to  order  by  the  Great  Incohonee, 
he  shall  cease  speaking  and  take  his  seat  until  the  question  of  order  is  deter- 
mined and  permission  given  him  to  proceed. 

VII.  Every  Chief  or  brother  shall  be  designated  by  his  proper  title,  accord- 
ing to  his  standing  in  the  Order. 

VIII.  When  a  question  is  before  the  Great  Council,  no  motion  shall  be 
received,  except  for  the  previous  question,  to  lie  on  the  table,  to  postpone 
indefinitely,  or  to  a  limited  time ;  to  divide,  to  commit,  or  to  amend  ;  and  such 
motions   shall  severally   have  precedence  in  the  order  herein  arranged.     A 
motion  to  quench  the  council  fire  is  always  in  order. 

IX.  The  Great  Council  may  resolve  itself  into  a  Committee  of  the  Whole 
upon  the  following  subjects  and  none  other:  For  the  consideration  of  the 
Constitution  and  Laws,  and  for  the  consideration  of  the  work  of  the  Order, 
written  and  unwritten. 

X.  Any  brother  who  voted  on  the  prevailing  side  can  call  for  the  recon- 
sideration of  a  vote  at  the  same  great  sun  council  in  which  it  was  passed,  and 
if  sustained  by  a  majority  of  the  votes  the  reconsideration  shall  be  carried. 

XI.  If  two  or  more  brothers  rise  to  speak  at  the  same  time,  the  Great 
Incohonee  shall  decide  which  is  entitled  to  the  floor. 

XII.  No  motion  shall  be  subject  to  debate  until  it  has  been  seconded  and 
stated  by  the  Great  Incohonee.     It  shall  be  reduced  to  writing  at  the  request 
of  any  brother. 

XIII.  On  the  call  of  three  brothers  a  majority  may  demand  the  previous 
question,  which  shall  always  be  put  in  this  form :  "  Shall  the  main  question 
be  now  put?"  and  until  it  is  decided,  shall  preclude  all  amendments  and  all 
further  debate.     If  the  main  question  be  ordered,  the  amendments  shall  be 
voted  upon  in  their  order  and  then  the  original  question. 

XIV.  The  Great  Incohonee  shall  pronounce   the   decision   of  the  Great 
Council  on  all  subjects ;    he  may  speak  on  points  of  order  without  debate, 
subject  to  an  appeal  to  the  Great  Council  by  any  two  brothers  —  on  which 
appeal  no  brother  shall  speak  more  than  once. 

XV.  A  motion  to  lie  on  the  table  shall  be  decided  without  debate. 

XVI.  When  a  question  is  postponed  indefinitely  it  shall  not  be  acted  on 
until  the  next  great  sun  council. 

XVII.  The  yeas  and  nays  may  be  demanded  by  any  two  members,  and 
shall  be  entered  upon  the  record ;  and  every  Representative  must  vote,  unless 
excused  by  a  majority  of  the  Great  Council. 

XVIII.  All  questions  shall  be  decided  by  a  majority  vote,  except  in  cases 
otherwise  provided  for. 

ORDER  OF  BUSINESS. 

343.  At  the  run  fixed  therefor  the  Great  Incohonee  shall  take  his  station 
and  command  silence ;  have  the  wickets  secured,  the  wigwam  examined,  and 
the  council  fire  duly  kindled. 


REVISED  DIGEST.  513 

I.  Roll  of  Chiefs. 

II.  Appointment  of  Committee  on  Credentials. 

III.  Credentials  of  Past  Great  Sachems   and    Representatives   read   and 
referred. 

IV.  Admission  of  Representatives  and  Past  Great  Sachems. 

V.  Roll  of  Representatives. 

VI.  The  record  of  last  council  fire  read  and  considered. 

VII.  Long  Talks  of  Great  Incohonee  and  other  Chiefs. 

VIII.  The  names   of  Great  Councils  and  Tribes  called  in   alphabetical 
order,  for  business  or  communications. 

IX.  Reports  of  committee. 

X.  Deferred  business. 

XI.  New  business. 

These  rules  may  be  temporarily  dispensed  with  by  the  Great  Incohonee. 

PASSWORDS. 

344.  Passwords  for  the  various  branches  of  the  Order  shall  be  promulgated 
by  the  Great  Incohonee.  — Ritual. 

345.  The  Sachem  has  the  right   to  communicate   the  password   through 
the  First  Sannap  to  members  in  the  wigwam  who   are  qualified  to  receive 
it,  but  the  Sannap  requires  express  authority  in  each  case  to  enable  him  so 
to  act.  —  III,  134,  162,  164. 

346.  The  Sachem  alone  possesses  exclusive  authority  to  communicate  the 
password  and  explanation  to  members  of  his  Tribe.  —  III,  190,  224,  245. 

347.  The    Great    Council   password    is    designed    exclusively   for   Great 
Councils,  and  all  who  are  otherwise  qualified  for  admission  to  Great  Councils 
are  entitled  to  a  knowledge  of  this  password. 

348.  The  Past  Sachem's  password  is  not  designed  for  working  purposes, 
nor  is  any  one  except  a  Past  Sachem  entitled  to  its  possession.  —  III,  190, 
224,  225. 

349.  A  member  of  a  Tribe  appearing  at  the  wicket  without  the  Universal 
password  may  be  admitted  without  being  instructed  by  the  First  Sannap  in 
the  forest.  —  III,  281,  343. 

350.  A  brother  who  is  not  more  than  three  moons  in  arrears  is  entitled  to 
receive  the  Universal  password.  —  IV,  193. 

351.  The   law  does   not  confer  on  any  member  the  right  to  vouch   for 
another  who  may  be  without  the  Universal  password,  whether  in  good  stand- 
ing or  not.     Every  brother  in  good  standing  is  entitled  to  the  password,  and 
its  use  is  to  enable  such  brother  to  visit  any  Tribe.     A  brother  over  three 
moons  in  arrears  is  not  in  good  standing  and  is  not  entitled  to  the  password, 
and  consequently  is  not  entitled  to  visit  any  Tribe  but  his  own.  —  V,  490,  536. 

352.  The  phrase  u  current  term  "shall  be  construed  to  mean  during  the 
currency  of  the  certified  receipt  for  dues  paid  to  receive  the  Universal  pass- 
word.—  V,  491,  536. 

353.  When  a   Sachem   receives   the   official   certified   receipt   and   order 
thereon  requesting  that  the  Universal  password  be  given  to  the  bearer,  he 


514  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

shall  first  satisfy  himself  of  the  personal  identity  of  the  member,  and  he  shall 
require  him  to  prove  himself  in  the  unwritten  work  of  the  Order  before  he 
communicates  the  Universal  password.  —  VIII,  525. 

354.  The  Guard  of  the  Forest  is  required  to  demand  and  receive  the  pass- 
word of  the  sleep  from  a  brother  leaving  the  wigwam  during  the  burning  of 
the  council  fire.  —  VIII,  526. 

355.  The  Guards  cannot  admit   a   brother  on  the   retiring  password.  — 
VIII,  526. 

356.  Orders  for  the  password  must  be  upon  the  form  adopted  and  issued 
by  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  and  must  be  accompanied  by  the 
official  receipt  for  dues  as  adopted  by  said  body.  —  IX,  138. 

PAST  SACHEMS. 

357.  Actual   service  in  the  Sachem's  position  entitles  a  member  to  take 
rank  as  a  Past  Sachem.  —  VIII,  130. 

358.  Service  as  first  Prophet  of  a  Tribe,  as  Chief  of  Records,  Collector  of 
Wampum,  or  Keeper  of  Wampum,  for  five  successive  great  suns,  shall  entitle 
a  member  to  the  degree  of  Past  Sachem.  —  General  Laws. 

359.  Great  Councils  may  adopt  laws  conferring  the  rank,  title,  rights,  and 
privileges  of  a  Past  Sachem  upon  each  of  the  Chiefs  of  a  Tribe  elected  at  the 
institution  thereof;  provided,  such  Chiefs  serve  to  the  end  of  the  term  for 
which  they  were  elected.  —  General  Laws. 

360.  A  member  is  entitled  to  a  Past  Sachem's  certificate  immediately  after 
his  successor  has  been  raised  up  as  Sachem.  —  V,  257,  329. 

361.  A   Tribe  has   not   the   right   to  withhold  a  certificate   from  a  Past 
Sachem  who  has  served  a  regular  term  as  Sachem.  —  V,  528,  542. 

362.  The  Great   Incohonee  and   Great  Sachem,  respectively,  alone  have 
the  power  to  issue  dispensations  exalting  the  first  Prophets  of  new  Tribes  to 
the  position  of  Past  Sachem ;  the  honors  to  be  conferred  only  in  the  Great 
Council  of  a  State,  District,  or  Territory  duly  and  regularly  instituted.  —  IV, 
290. 

363.  If  a  brother  serves  a  term  in  a  Tribe,  that  will  entitle  him  to  the 
honors  of  a  Past  Sachem,  but  before  he  receives  the  Past  Sachem's  degree 
he  takes  his  withdrawal  card  from  said  Tribe  as  a  Chiefs  degree  member 
only,  and  deposits  it  in  another  Tribe  as  a  brother  of  the  Chief's  degree,  he 
must  get  his  certificate  as  a  Past  Sachem  from  the  first  Tribe ;  and  it  is  the 
duty  of  said  Tribe  to  furnish  said  brother  with  a  certificate  which  will  entitle 
him  to  claim  his  rights  in  the  hunting-grounds  to  which  he  may  remove.  — 
IV,  157,  190. 

364.  The  first  Prophet  of  a  new  Tribe  is  not  entitled  to  the  privileges  and 
honors  of  a  Past  Sachem  until  a  dispensation  has  been  formally  issued  and 
received  by  him  with  the  signature  and  seal  of  the  proper  authority.  —  IV, 
157,  190. 

365.  Where  the  first  Prophet  takes  a  withdrawal  card  before  the  end  of  the 
term  he  loses  the  honors  and  the  Great  Incohonee  or  Great  Sachem,  as  the 


REVISED   DIGEST. 


515 


case  may  be,  may  appoint  another  Prophet  and  make  him  a  Past  Sachem 
by  dispensation.  —  VI,  160,  214. 

366.  A  State  Great  Council  has  the  right  to  admit  to  its  councils  a  brother 
who  has  been  appointed  a  first  Prophet  of  a  Tribe  and  serves  to  the  end  of 
his  term,  provided,  the  brother  produces  a  dispensation  in  regular  form  from 
the  proper  Chiefs  creating  him  a  Past  Sachem.  —  IV,  207. 

367.  A  member  of  the  Order  who  has  attained  the  rank  of  Past  Sachem  in 
one  Great  Council  shall  be  entitled  to  admission  into  another  upon  a  change 
of  residence  upon  presenting  a  certificate  in   proper  form  from  his   Tribe. 
-IV,  403. 

368.  Great   Councils   cannot   confer   the   Past   Sachem's  degree   upon   a 
brother  for  meritorious  service.  — Vol.  VIII,  572. 

369.  The  first  Prophet  of  a  Beneficial  Degree  Council  is  not  entitled  to  the 
honors  of  Past  Sachem.  —  VIII,  487. 

370.  When  other  associations  make  application  for  charters  of  our  Order, 
their  past  officers  would  not  be  entitled  to  the  rank  and  honors  of  a  Past 
Sachem.     The  rule  as  regards  consolidation  only,  refers  to  those  organiza- 
tions now  known  by  the  various  titles  of  Red  Men.  —  IX,  22.     . 

371.  A  brother  serving  in  the  chieftaincy  of  Sachem  of  a  Beneficial  Degree 
Council  is,  at  the  end  of  his  term,  entitled  to  the  rank  and  honor  of  a  Past 
Sachem.  —  IX,  31. 

372.  A  member  who  has  received  the  honors  of  a  Past  Sachem  illegally  is 
not  entitled  to  admission  to  a  Great  Council,  and  it  would  be  the  duty  of  the 
Great  Sachem  to  debar  the  admission  of  any  such  brother.  —  IX,  32. 

373.  No  Past  Sachem  is   eligible  to  hold  two  elective  chieftaincies  in  a 
Great  Council.  —  IX,  136. 

374.  A  Great  Council  would  not  have  the  right  to  confer  the  rank  of  Past 
Sachem  upon  any  brother  unless  said  brother  had  earned  the  honors  as  laid 
down  in  the  ritual  and  laws. 

375.  Great   Councils   are   composed   of  Past    Sachems,    who   must   have 
received  the  degree  prior  to  their  taking  a  seat,  and  when  so  admitted  are 
entitled  to  all  the  rights  and  privileges  guaranteed  to  them  under  the  laws. 
While  Great  Councils  have  the  right  to  establish  regulations  in  regard  to 
representation,  yet  said  Representatives  must  be  Past  Sachems,  and  as  Great 
Councils  cannot  exist  without  a  certain  number  of  Past  Sachems,  it  naturally 
follows  that  said  members  are  entitled  to  all  the  privileges  therein,  and  can- 
not therefore  be  debarred  from  voting  for  Great  Chiefs,  where  the  law  does 
not  prescribe  either  the  time  or  manner  of  holding  an  election  for  Great 
Chiefs. 

PAST  GREAT  SACHEMS. — ADMISSION. 

376.  Before  the  admission  of  a  Past  Great  Sachem  a  certificate  must  be 
received   certifying   that    he   has   duly  served   as  Great  Sachem  of  a  Great 
Council,  or  as  the  first  Great  Prophet,  or  five  great  suns  as  Great  Chief  of 
Records  or  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  and  that  he  is  in  good  standing  in  his 
Tribe.  —  By-Laws  G.  C.  U.  S. 


516  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

377.  All  past  Great  Sachems  whose  credentials  have  been  acknowledged 
by  the  Great  Council  shall  be  admitted  to  a  seat,  and  entitled  to  all  privileges, 
except  that  of  voting  and  receiving  mileage  and  per  diem. — Constitution 
G.  C.  U.  S. 

378.  Any  Great  Chief  of  Records  or  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  of  any 
Great  Council,  having  served  five  great  suns  in  succession  as  such,  shall  be 
entitled  to  the  degree  of  Past  Great  Sachem.  —  General  Laws. 

PAST  GREAT  REPRESENTATIVES. 

379.  Past  Representatives  who  are  members  of  the  Order  in  good  standing, 
shall  be  entitled  to  admission  as  visitors,  but  shall  not  be  allowed  to  partici- 
pate in  any  business  before  the  Great  Council.  —  By-Laws  G.  C.  U.  S. 

PERMANENT  FUND. 

380.  The  Permanent  Fund  shall  consist  of  such  sums  as  the  Great  Council 
may  from  time  to  time  appropriate,  donations  and  bequests  made  thereto,  and 
accumulations  of  interest.     The  principal  of  said  fund  shall  not  be  used,  nor 
shall  this  article  be  amended  or  repealed,  except  seven-eighths  of  those  entitled 
to  vote  agree  thereto. 

I.  When  in  the  judgment  of  the  Great  Council  a  sum  sufficient  for  the 
purpose  has  been  accumulated,  the  fund  shall  be  invested  in  such  a  manner 
as  the  Great  Council  may  then  provide,  in  a  Home  forever  dedicated  to  the 
widows  and  orphans  of  members  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

II.  The  Great  Incohonee,  Great  Prophet,  Great  Senior  Sagamore,  Great 
Junior  Sagamore,  Great  Chief  of  Records,  and  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum 
shall  constitute  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States.     They  shall  have  supervision  of  the  Permanent  Fund  of  the  Great 
Council,  and  make  such  investments  as  they  may  deem  for  the  best  interests 
of  said  fund,  until  final  investment  in  a  Home,  as  above  provided.     They 
shall  make  a  report  thereon  at  each  great  sun  council. 

HI.  At  each  great  sun  council,  the  Finance  Committee  shall  submit  a 
resolution  appropriating  not  less  than  one  hundred  fathoms,  which  sum  shall 
be  placed  in  the  Permanent  Fund  already  created.  The  wampum  so  appro- 
priated, shall  be  invested  by  the  Trustees,  until  the  aggregate  amount  shall 
reach  the  sum  needed  for  the  purpose  of  the  Home  contemplated.  —  Consti- 
tution G.  C.  U.  S. 

381.  Interest  accruing  from  the  Permanent  Fund  shall  hereafter  be  carried 
to  said  account  instead  of  to  the  General  Fund  account.  —  VII,  670,  671. 

PENALTIES. 

382.  Any  Great  Council  neglecting  to  forward  its  report  and  tax,  on  or 
before  the  first  of  Corn  moon,  shall  forfeit  its  right  to  representation  in  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States ;  provided,  this  penalty  may  be  remitted 
by  unanimous  consent.  —  By-Laws  G.  C.  U.  S. 

383.  Any  member  guilty  of  the  following  offences,  would  be  amenable  to 


REVISED  DIGEST.  517 

the  Tribe,  and  should  be  tried  and  punished  by  reprimand,  fine,  suspension, 
or  expulsion :  — 

I.  Violation  of  the  obligations  he  has  taken,  either  in  the  Adoption,  or  the 
degrees,  or  on  assuming  any  chieftaincy,  or  the  laws  of  the  Order. 

II.  Revealing,  or  making  known  to  a  person  or  persons  who  are  not  at  the 
time  members  of  the  Order,  any  of  the  secrets  or  the  workings  of  the  Tribe. 

III.  Making  false  statements  in  order  to  gain  admission  into  the  Order, 
knowing  the  same  to  be  false  ;  or  who  shall  knowingly  conceal  any  infirmity 
or  disease,  either  of  body  or  mind. 

IV.  Using  improper  means  to  obtain  benefits. 

V.  Misappropriating  any  of  the  funds,  property  or  effects  of  a  Tribe  to  his 
own  use,  or  shall  wrongfully  divert  or  misappropriate  the  funds  of  the  Tribe. 

VI.  Wilfully  refusing  to  appear  and  testify  or  give  his  deposition,  after 
being  duly  notified  by  the  Tribe. 

VII.  Violating  the  criminal  laws  of  his  State. 

VIII.  Bringing  suit  in  any  of  the  civil  courts  of  his  State  against  his  Tribe 
for  the  redress  of  any  grievance,  the  adjudication  of  which  is  provided  for 
within  the  Order  by  the  laws  thereof. 

IX.  Using  any  of  the  emblems,  mottoes,  titles,  or  initials  of  the  Order, 
either  as  a  Chief  or  member  directly  or  indirectly,  for  the  prosecution  of  any 
private  business  or  enterprise.  —  Code  of  Procedure. 

FORFEITURE  OF  CHARTERS. 

384.  Any  Great  Council,  Tribe,  or  Council  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas 
may  be  suspended  or  dissolved,  and  its  charter  or  dispensation  forfeited  to 
and  reclaimed  by  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  or  the  proper  Great 
Council :  — 

I.  For  improper  conduct. 

II.  For  neglecting  or  refusing  to  conform  to  the  Constitution,  laws,  and 
enactments  of  this  Great  Council,  and  of  that  to  which  it  is  subordinate,  or  to 
the  general  laws  and  regulations  of  the  Order. 

III.  For  neglecting  or  refusing  to  make  its  returns,  or  for  non-payment  of 
dues  or  taxes. 

IV.  For  neglecting  to  hold  regular  councils  as  provided  by  law,  unless 
prevented  by  unfortunate  circumstances. 

V.  By  its  membership  decreasing,  so  that  it  is  left  without  a  quorum. 

385.  But  the  charter  or  dispensation  shall  not  be  forfeited  in  either  of  the 
above  cases  until  due  notification  of  the  offence  by  the  proper  Great  Chiefs, 
under  seal,  and  suitable  opportunity  has  been  given  to  answer  the  charges. 
—  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

PER  DIEM  AND  MILEAGE. 

386.  The  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  shall  pay  mileage  and  per 
diem  to  its  Great  Chiefs,  Representatives,  and  members  of  the  Finance  Com- 


518  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

mittee  and  Committee  of  Constitution  and  Laws.  The  mileage  shall  be 
at  the  rate  of  five  inches  per  mile  circular,  to  be  computed  by  the  nearest 
travelled  route,  and  five  fathoms  per  sun  for  each  sun  in  attendance.  —  By- 
Laws  G.  C.  U.  S. 

PHRASEOLOGY.  —  CALENDAR. 
387- 

Breath A  minute. 

Run An  hour. 

Sun A  day. 

Sleep A  night. 

Seven  Suns A  week. 

Moon A  month. 

Cold  Moon January. 

Snow  Moon February. 

Worm  Moon March. 

Plant  Moon April. 

Flower  Moon May. 

Hot  Moon June. 

Buck  Moon July. 

Sturgeon  Moon August. 

Corn  Moon September. 

Travelling  Moon October. 

Beaver  Moon November. 

Hunting  Moon December. 

Great  Sun A  year. 

Rising  of  the  Sun Morning. 

Setting  of  the  Sun Evening. 

High  Sun Mid-day. 

Low  Sun Midnight. 

Paleface One  who  is  not  a  member  of  the  Order. 

Wampum  Belt Treasury. 

Wigwam  and  Tepee Place  of  Meeting. 

Hunting  Ground Territory  over  which  a  Tribe  has  jurisdiction. 

Reservation      .     .     .    Territory  over  which  a  Great  Council  has  jurisdiction. 

Records The  Minutes. 

Talk  or  Long  Talk Speech  or  Report. 

Kindling  a  council  fire Organizing  a  meeting. 

Quenching  a  council  fire Closing  a  meeting. 

Tribe  and  League Branches  of  the  Order. 

Great  Council Head  of  the  Order  in  a  State,  etc. 

Following  the  hunt Attending  to  business. 

Crossing  the  path Wronging  another. 

Wampum Money. 

Fathom One  dollar. 

Foot Ten  cents. 

Inch .  One  cent. 


REVISED  DIGEST.  519 

388.  Initiation.     The  term  is  sometimes,  but  improperly  used  for  adoption. 
-111,192. 

389.  All  Tribes  shall  have  for  titles  Indian  names,  and  they  shall  be  local 
to  the  State  or  Territory.  —  III,  191,  531,  285.- 

390.  The  word  "  subordinate "  in  connection  with  a  Tribe  is  superfluous, 
and  should  be  stricken  out  wherever  it  occurs  in  the  work  of  the  Order.  — 

I,  53- 

391.  It  is  not  proper  to  use  the  term  "  scalped  "  for  "  suspended."  —  IV, 
253,  298. 

392.  It  is  improper  to  use  the  word  "  tomahawked  "  for  "expelled."  —  IV, 
253,  298. 

393.  There  is  no  list  of  terms  or  words  in  the  phraseology  of  the  Order, 
save  those  contained  in  the  Calendar.  —  IV,  254,  298. 

394.  The  use  of  the  word  "  squaw  "  or  "  pappoose,"  as  referring  to  wives 
and  children  of  members  of  the  Order  is  prohibited  and  condemned.  —  IX, 
145. 

395 .  The  area  to  be  determined  as  the  hunting  grounds  of  a  Tribe  is  a 
question  of  local  legislation.  —  IX,  22. 

PRINTING  OF  RECORDS  AND  SUPPLIES  OF  THE  GREAT  COUNCIL. 

396.  The  Great  Chief  of  Records  shall,  at  least  two  moons  prior  to  the 
great  sun's  council,  notify  members  of  the  Order  who  are  practical  printers 
that  estimates  will  be  received  on  or  before  the  first  of  the  Sturgeon  moon  for 
printing  the  records  and  all  other  printed  matter  needed  for  the  great  sun, 
and  said  bids  shall  be  opened  in  the  presence  of  the  Finance  Committee,  who 
shall  award  the  same  to  the  lowest  responsible  bidder.  —  By-Laws  G.  C.  U.  S. 

397.  There  shall  be  printed  with  the  record  of  the  proceedings  of  each 
great  sun  council  of  this  Great  Council,  a  directory  of  the  Great  Councils 
under  its  jurisdiction,  with  the  names  of  the  Great  Sachems  and  Great  Chiefs 
of  Records  thereof.  —  III,  315. 

398.  Great  Councils  have  the  right  to  print  dispensations  for  their  own 
use  and  reports  for  the  use  of  Tribes  under  their  jurisdiction.  —  III,  191,  226. 

399.  It  is  illegal  for  any  Great  Council,  Tribe,  or  person  to  issue  or  print 
any  supplies  unless  by  order  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  — 
III,  136,  155,  167. 

400.  With  the  proceedings  of  each  council  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States,  there  shall  be  an  appendix  containing  a  digest  of  the  decisions, 
amendments,  and  proposed  amendments  to  the  laws,  together  with  such  other 
business  as  may  remain  unacted  upon.  —  IV,  181. 

401.  The  Great  Chief  of  Records  of  the  United  States  is  authorized   to 
have  printed  in  the  record  of  every  great  sun  council,  a  list  of  all  Past  Great 
Incohonees.  —  V,  660. 

QUORUM. 

402.  Representatives  from  a  majority  of  Great  Councils  shall  be  necessary 
to  constitute  a  quorum  for  the  transaction  of  any  business,  except  the  admis- 


520  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

sion  of  new  members,  and  to  kindle  the  council  fire,  and  quench  it  from  time 
to  time,  for  which  purposes  alone,  less  than  said  majority  may  act.  —  Consti- 
tution G.  C.  U.  S. 

403.  Five  members  or  more,  including  one  qualified  to  preside,  shall  con- 
stitute a  quorum  for  the  transaction  of  business  in  a  Tribal  council.  —  Con- 
stitution G.  C.  U.  S. 

RAISING  UP  OF  CHIEFS. 

404.  The  Chiefs  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  shall  be  raised 
up,  and  enter  upon  their  duties  on  the  last  sun  of  the  great  sun's  council, 
immediately  preceding  the  quenching  of  the  council  fire.  —  By-Laws  G.  C. 
U.S. 

405.  Should  any  of  the  Great  Chiefs  elect  fail  to  be  present  at  the  run 
•fixed  for  the  raising  up,  the  chieftaincy  may  be  declared  vacant,  and  the  Great 
Council  proceed  to  fill  the  vacancy ;  but  should  such  absence  be  caused  by 
sickness,  or  other  cause,  satisfactory  to  this  Great  Council,  then  he  shall  be 
raised  up  by  any  designated  Great  Chief,  after  the  quenching  of  the  council 
fire,  and  the  fact  shall  be  certified  to,  and  entered  upon  the  records  of  this 
Great  Council.  —  By- Laws  G.  C.  U.  S. 

406.  The  raising  up  of  chiefs  of  a  Tribe  shall  take  place  on  the  first  coun- 
cil sleep  of  the  term,  unless  a  dispensation  has  been  granted  to  postpone  the 
same.     Tribes  may  have  their  Chiefs  raised  up  in  public,  provided  a  dispen- 
sation has  been  first  obtained.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

RECORDS. 

407.  The  record  (except  that  of  the  secret  council)  shall   be  published 
every  great  sun,  and  each  Great  Council  shall  be  entitled  to  as  many  copies 
as  it  may  have  Past  Great  Sachems,  Great  Chiefs,  and  branches  of  the  Order 
under  its  control.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

408.  The  Great  Chief  of  Records  of  the  United  States,  under  the  direction 
of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  may  omit  from  the  record  any 
part  of  the  proceedings  — III,  280. 

409.  The  Great  Sachem  of  a  Great  Council,  or  the  Sachem  of  a  Tribe,  has 
no  legal  right  to  ignore  the  records,  and  declare  that  they  are  not  kept  cor- 
rectly after  they  have  been  read  and  approved  by  the  Great  Council  or  Tribe. 

-VI,  15,49. 

410.  A  Great  Council  or  a  Tribe  is  the  sole  judge  of  the  correctness  of  the 
records  thereof.  —  VI,  15,  49. 

411.  All  resolutions  presented  to  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States 
must  be  submitted  in  writing,  and  in  duplicate  form,  and  unless  so  submitted, 
will  not  be  considered.  —  III,  334. 

412.  Business  transacted   while  the  council  fire  of  a  Tribe  is   kindled  in 
degree  form,  must  be  kept  in  a  separate  record  book,  and  the  approval  of  the 
same   must   be   done   while   the  council  fire  is   burning  in   the   degree.  — 
IX,  83. 


REVISED  DIGEST.  52! 


REGALIA. 

413.  The  regalia  is  adopted  by  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  and 
cannot  be  altered  unless  the  proposed  change  be  submitted  in  writing,  and, 
after  being  read  twice,  on  different  suns,  adopted  by  the  votes  of  three-fourths 
of  the  members  present  entitled  to  vote.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

414.  The  regalia  of  the  Order  shall   consist  of  a  sash  four  and  one-half 
inches  wide,  with  pouch  attached,  of  the  pattern  heretofore  in  use,  and  shall 
be  trimmed  and  embellished  for  the  several  ranks,  as  hereinafter  described, 
namely :  — 

For  Adopted,  a  plain  green  sash,  without  embellishment  or  trimmings. 

For  Hunter's  Degree,  an  orange  sash,  trimmed  with  white  or  silver  lace, 
with  a  hunters  knife  on  the  breast,  of  silver  embroidery  or  white  metal. 

For  Warrior's  Degree,  a  blue  sash,  trimmed  same  as  Hunter's,  with  knife 
and  club  crossed,  of  silver  embroidery  or  white  metal,  on  the  breast. 

For  Chief's  Degree,  a  scarlet  sash,  trimmed  same  as  Warrior's,  with  knife, 
club  and  tomahawk  crossed,  of  silver  embroidery  or  white  metal,  on  the 
breast. 

For  Prophet,  a  white  sash,  trimmed  with  gilt  lace  and  fringe,  with  crossed 
calumets  on  the  breast,  in  gilt  embroidery  or  yellow  metal. 

For  Sachem,  a  scarlet  sash,  trimmed  with  silver  lace  and  fringe,  with 
crossed  tomahawks  of  silver  embroidery  or  white  metal,  on  the  breast. 

For  Senior  Sagamore,  a  scarlet  sash,  trimmed  same  as  Sachem's,  with 
crossed  clubs,  of  silver  embroidery  or  white  metal,  on  the  breast. 

For  Junior  Sagamore,  a  scarlet  sash,  trimmed  same  as  Senior  Sagamore, 
with  crossed  knives  of  silver  embroidery  or  white  metal,  on  the  breast. 

For  Chief  of  Records,  a  scarlet  sash,  trimmed  same  as  Junior  Sagamore, 
with  a  scroll  in  silver  embroidery  or  white  metal,  on  the  breast. 

For  Keeper  of  Wampum,  a  scarlet  sash,  trimmed  same  as  Chief  of  Records, 
with  Wampum  belt,  in  silver  embroidery  or  white  metal,  on  the  breast. 

For  First  Sannap,  a  scarlet  sash,  trimmed  with  plated  or  silver  lace,  with 
crossed  arrows  of  silver  embroidery  or  white  metal,  on  the  breast. 

For  Second  Sannap,  a  scarlet  sash,  trimmed  same  as  First  Sannap,  with 
single  arrow,  of  silver  embroidery  or  white  metal,  on  the  breast. 

For  Guard  of  the  Wigwam,  a  scarlet  sash,  trimmed  with  plated  or  silver 
lace  and  crossed  spears,  of  silver  embroidery  or  white  metal,  on  the  breast. 

For  Guard  of  the  Forest,  a  scarlet  sash,  trimmed  same  as  Guard  of  Wig- 
wam, with  bow  and  arrow,  in  silver  embroidery  or  white  metal,  on  the  breast. 

For  the  appointed  Warriors,  blue  sashes,  trimmed  with  silver  lace,  with  a 
single  club  in  silver  embroidery  or  white  metal,  on  the  breast,  and  the  numer- 
als i,  2,  3,  4,  indicating  the  special  rank  of  the  Warrior,  above  the  emblem. 

For  the  four  Braves  or  Hunters,  orange  sashes,  trimmed  same  as  Warriors, 
with  deer's  head  and  antlers,  in  silver  embroidery  or  white  metal,  on  breast, 
and  in  addition  thereto,  the  numerals  i,  2,  3,  4,  to  indicate  the  special  rank  of 
the  Braves  or  Hunters. 

The  regalia  for  members  of  State  Great  Councils  (except  Great  Prophet) 
shall  consist  of  a  scarlet  sash,  trimmed  with  gilt  lace  and  fringe. 


522  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

For  Representatives  of  Tribes,  or  Degree  Councils,  a  scarlet  sash,  with 
Indian  shield,  of  yellow  metal,  bearing  the  initials  and  number  of  the  Tribe, 
or  Degree  Council  represented,  stamped  upon  or  engraved  thereon,  on  the 
breast  of  the  sash. 

For  Past  Sachems,  a  scarlet  sash,  trimmed  with  gilt  lace  and  fringe,  with 
the  knife,  club,  and  tomahawk  crossed,  in  gilt  embroidery,  or  yellow  metal, 
on  the  breast. 

For  Great  Prophet,  a  white  sash,  trimmed  with  gilt  lace  and  fringe,  with 
calumets  crossed  upon  a  shield,  of  gilt  embroidery,  or  yellow  metal,  to  be  worn 
or  depending  from  the  breast  of  sash. 

For  Great  Sachem,  a  scarlet  sash,  trimmed  with  gilt  lace  and  fringe,  with 
tomahawks  crossed  upon  a  shield,  of  gilt  embroidery  or  yellow  metal,  upon 
the  breast  of  the  sash  or  depending  therefrom. 

For  Great  Senior  Sagamore,  same  style  and  trimmings,  with  crossed  club 
on  shield,  as  above  described. 

For  Great  Junior  Sagamore,  a  sash,  same  style  and  trimmings  as  Senior 
Sagamore,  with  crossed  knives  on-  shield,  in  gilt  embroidery,  or  yellow- 
metal. 

For  Great  Chief  of  Records,  a  sash,  same  style  and  trimmings  as  Great 
Junior  Sagamore,  with  scroll  on  shield,  in  gilt  embroidery,  or  yellow  metal. 

For  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  a  sash,  same  style  and  description  as  the 
Great  Chief  of  Records,  with  wampum  belt  on  shield,  of  gilt  embroidery,  or 
yellow  metal. 

For  Great  Sannap,  a  sash  of  the  same  style  and  trimming  as  the  Great 
Keeper  of  Wampum,  with  single  arrow  on  shield,  in  gilt  embroidery,  or  yellow 
metal. 

For  Great  Mishinewa,  the  usual  official  sash  of  the  Great  Council,  with  a 
quiver  full  of  arrows  on  shield,  in  gilt  embroidery  on  the  breast  thereof,  or  in 
gilt  metal  suspended  therefrom. 

For  Great  Guard  of  the  Wigwam,  a  sash,  same  style  and  trimmings  as 
Great  Sannap,  with  crossed  spears  on  shield,  of  gilt  embroidery,  or  yellow 
metal. 

For  Great  Guard  of  Forest,  a  sash,  same  style  and  trimmings  as  Great 
Sannap,  with  bow  and  arrow  on  shield,  of  gilt  embroidery,  or  yellow  metal. 

The  regalia  for  members  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  shall 
consist  of  a  sash  4^  inches  wide,  with  pouch  attached.  The  sash  shall  be 
composed  of  one  stripe  each  of  purple  and  scarlet  material  (except  the  Great 
Prophet's)  running  lengthwise  of  the  sash,  the  purple  stripe  to  be  on  the  in- 
side edge  of  the  sash,  to  be  trimmed  with  gilt  lace  and  fringe. 

For  Great  Prophet,  the  sash  shall  be  of  white  and  purple,  of  the  same  style 
and  trimmings  as  already  described,  with  an  eagle  of  yellow  metal,  resting  on 
crossed  calumets,  and  upon  the  shield  on  the  eagle's  breast  the  letters 
G.C.U.S. 

For  Great  Incohonee,  a  scarlet  and  purple  sash,  with  eagle  as  above  de- 
scribed, resting  on  crossed  tomahawks. 

For  Great  Senior  Sagamore,  sash  as  above,  eagle  resting  on  crossed  clubs 


REVISED   DIGEST.  523 

For  Great  Junior  Sagamore,  a  sash  as  above,  eagle  resting  on  crossed 
knives. 

For  Great  Chief  of  Records,  sash  as  above,  eagle  resting  on  scroll.  On  the 
scroll  the  date  of  institution  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States. 

For  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  a  sash  as  above,  eagle  resting  on  wampum 
belt. 

For  Great  Tocakon,  sash  as  above,  eagle  resting  on  crossed  spears. 

For  Great  Minewa,  a  sash  as  above,  eagle  resting  on  bow  and  arrow. 

For  Past  Great  Sachem,  a  sash  as  described,  with  eagle  and  shield  on  his 
breast,  and  the  letters  P.G.S.  and  initials  of  the  wearer's  jurisdiction  on  the 
shield. 

For  Representative  of  State  or  Territorial  Great  Councils,  a  sash  as  de- 
scribed, with  eagle  and  shield.  Upon  the  shield  the  letter  "  R,"  and  the 
initials  of  the  Great  Jurisdiction  represented. 

415.  The  regalia  of  a  Past  Great  Incohonee  shall  be  a  sash,  four  and  a 
half  inches  wide,  with  pouch  attached,  composed  of  royal  purple  velvet,  to  be 
trimmed  with  gilt  lace  and  fringe.     At  right  angles  with  the  length  of  the 
sash,  a  strip  of  gilt  braid,  one-quarter  inch  in  width,  may  be  attached  for  each 
great  sun  council  the  Past  Great  Incohonee  has  attended  the  Great  Council 
of  the  United  States.     The  jewel  of  a  Past  Great  Incohonee  shall  be  a  gold 
or  yellow  metal  cross-bar,  composed   of  four   links,  containing  the   letters 
T.O.T.E..  from  which  shall  be  pendant  a  gold  or  yellow  metal  eagle,  with 
shield  on  his  breast,  on  which  shall  be  engraved  the  letters  P.G.I. 

416.  For  Vice  Great  Incohonees,  Deputy  Great  Sachems,  or  Chiefs  to  raise 
up  Chiefs,  the  jewel  shall  be  a  single  tomahawk  of  yellow  metal.     The  regalia 
shall  conform  to  the  title  of  the  rank  of  the  wearer. 

BENEFICIAL  DEGREE  COUNCIL. 

417.  Chiefs  and  members  of  Degree  Councils  shall  wear  a  regalia  in  ac- 
cordance with  those  used  in  the  Tribes. 

418.  The  emblems  of  the  chieftaincy  to  be  on  the  head-dress.  —  III,  134. 

419.  Members  in  Degree  Councils  are  not  properly  clothed  unless  invested 
with  regalia  according  to  their  rank  and  station  therein.  —  III,  134,  164. 

DEGREE  OF  POCAHONTAS. 

420.  The  regalia  to  be  worn  in  a  Tepee  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas  shall 
be  as  follows  :  — 

The  brothers  shall  wear  the  regalia  to  which  they  are  entitled,  in  accord- 
ance with  their  rank  in  the  Order ;  the  sisters  shall  wear  a  collar  of  the  De- 
gree of  Pocahontas,  and,  if  elected  or  appointed  to  a  position,  the  jewel 
thereof. 

The  regalia  for  sisters  shall  be  a  plain  purple  collar. 

For  Pocahontas,  purple  collar,  trimmed  with  silver  lace,  with  the  emblem 
attached,  white  metal,  consisting  of  crossed  tomahawks. 


524 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 


For  Prophetess,  purple  collar,  trimmed  with  gold  lace  and  fringe.  Emblem, 
crossed  tomahawks,  inclosed  in  a  circle  of  yellow  metal. 

For  Wenonah,  same  as  Pocahontas.     Emblem,  single  tomahawk. 

Keeper  of  Records,  same  as  Pocahontas.     Emblem,  scroll. 

Collector  of  Wampum,  same  as  Pocahontas.  Emblem,  wampum  belt  on 
scroll. 

Keeper  of  Wampum,  same  as  Pocahontas.     Emblem,  wampum  belt. 

First  Scout,  same  as  Pocahontas.     Emblem,  crossed  arrows. 

Second  Scout,  same  as  Pocahontas.     Emblem,  single  arrow. 

Runners,  same  as  Pocahontas.     Emblem,  single  club. 

Guard  of  Wigwam,  same  as  Pocahontas.     Emblem,  single  spear. 

Guard  of  Forest,  same  as  Pocahontas.     Emblem,  crossed  spears. 

Past  Chiefs,  the  same  as  Prophetess. 

Powhatan,  same  as  Pocahontas.  Emblem,  crossed  clubs,  and  toma- 
hawk. 

Councillor,  same  as  Pocahontas.     Emblem,  quiver  and  arrow. 

Warriors,  same  as  Pocahontas.  Emblem,  bow  and  arrow  with  numerals  i , 
2,  3,  4- 

421.  "No  change  can  be  made  in  the  regalia  except  by  special  action  of  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  —  II,  135,  169,  171. 

422.  It  is  unlawful  for  a  Tribe  or  State  Great  Council  to  dispense  with  any 
part  of  the  regalia  in  parades.  —  III.  256,  277. 

423.  It  is  not  in  violation  of  the  General  Laws  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States  for  a  Tribe  to  have  silver  lace  on  the  Chiefs  degree  regalia, 
but  in  conformity  with  the  law  prescribing  the  regalia.  —  V,  528,  542. 

424.  Only  brothers  who  have  attained  the  rank  of  Past  Great  Sachem  are 
entitled  to  wear  a  purple  and  scarlet  regalia.  —  VI,  485. 

425.  Propositions   to   change   the   regalia  or  emblems  must  define  what 
regalia  or  emblems  are  to  be  stricken  out,  and  what  is  to  be  inserted  in  lieu 
thereof.  — IX,  83. 

REJECTIONS. 

426.  A  paleface  whose  application  for  membership  has  been  rejected  shall 
not  be  adopted  into  any  Tribe  until  at  least  six  moons  after  his  rejection.  — 
Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

427.  A  brother  whose  application   for  advancement  in  the   degrees   has 
been  rejected  cannot  again  renew  the  application  for  three  moons  thereafter. 
—  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

RENUNCIATION  AND  RESIGNATION. 

428.  This  Order  possesses  no  authority  over  the  conscience  of  its  mem- 
bers.    A   brother   may  renounce   the   Order,  but   said   renunciation  cannot 
release  the  member  from  amenability  for  matters  anterior  to  his  renunciation. 
If  a  renunciation  in  due  form  comes  to  the  knowledge  of  a  Tribe,  and  the 
member  is  in  good  standing,  and  the  renunciation  is  without  disrespect  to  the 
Order  or  the  Tribe,  it  can  but  strike  his  name  from  the  roll.     With  such 


REVISED  DIGEST. 


525 


renunciation,  even  verbal,  all    claims  upon  the  Order  for   benefits  or  relief 
cease.  —  VIII,  266,  278. 

429.  A  brother  cannot  resign  from  the  Order.     There  are  five  ways  by 
which  his  connection  may  be  severed  :  ist,  non-payment  of  dues  ;  2d,  expul- 
sion, after  trial ;  jd,  by  withdrawal  card  ;  4th,  death  ;  5th,  by  renunciation.  — 
VI,  119,  176. 

REINSTATEMENT. 

430.  A  member  suspended  or  dropped  from  membership  for  non-payment 
of  dues,  may  be  reinstated  in  the  Tribe  from  which  he  has  been  suspended 
or  dropped,  within  one  great  sun  after  suspension,  by  paying  one  great  sun's 
dues,  and  being  reinstated  in  the  manner  prescribed  by  the  local  law.  —  V,  200. 

431.  After  one  great  sun  from  the  date  of  suspension,  a  member  dropped 
or  suspended  for  non-payment  of  dues  may  be  reinstated  upon  the  payment 
of  the  fee  charged  for  adopted  members  of  the  same  age,  as  prescribed  by  the 
By- Laws.  —  V,  200. 

432.  No  action  is  necessary  in  reinstating  a  brother  who  has  been  sus- 
pended for  cause  after  the  termination  of  his  suspension ;  he  is  then  virtually 
a   member   in  the  same  financial  standing  as  at  the  time  of  suspension.  — 

1,12. 

433.  A  member  expelled  from  the  Order  cannot  be  restored  to  member- 
ship in  the  Tribe,  except  after  application  to  the  Tribe,  and  by  permission  of 
the  Great  Council  Chiefs,  during  the  interim ;   and  the  vote  necessary  to 
reinstate  him  is  the  seme  vote  which  expelled  him  from  membership.  —  Code 
of  Procedure. 

REPRESENTATION. 

434.  A   Great    Council    in   hunting    grounds   containing    less   than   one 
thousand  members  shall  be  entitled  to  one  Representative ;  over  one  thou- 
sand and  less  than  two  thousand,  two  Representatives ;  over  two  thousand 
and  less  than  three  thousand,  three  Representatives ;  over  three  thousand 
and  less  than  four  thousand,  four  Representatives ;  over  four  thousand  and 
less  than  five  thousand,  five  Representatives  ;  over  five  thousand  and  less  than 
six  thousand,  six  Representatives ;   over  six  thousand  and  less  than  seven 
thousand,  seven  Representatives ;  over  seven  thousand  and  less  than  eight 
thousand,  eight  Representatives ;  and  all  reservations  having  over  eight  thou- 
sand members,  eight  Representatives.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

435.  A   motion  to  admit  Representatives  without  credentials  cannot   be 
entertained.  —  III,  313. 

436.  Only  in  case  of  the  clearest  and  most  palpable  fraud  should  any 
reservation  be  deprived   of  its  representation  in  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States.  — V,  165. 

437.  Past  Great  Incohonees  possess  all  the  rights  of  Representatives  in 
the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  except  that  of  mileage  or  per  diem. 

-HI,  333- 

438.  Great  Councils  may  provide  for  a  representative   system,  and   may 
limit  Tribes  under  their  jurisdiction  to  one  Representative.  —  General  Rules. 


526  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

439-  Where  a  Great  Council  exists,  no  Past  Sachem  is  eligible  for  Repre- 
sentative to  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  unless  he  has  been 
admitted  to  a  Great  Council.  —  V,  13,  70,  80. 

440.  Credentials  should  be  signed  by  the  Chiefs  of  a  Great  Council  who 
are  in  office  at  the  time  such  credentials  are  made  out.  —  V,  217. 

441.  Every  newly  admitted  Representative  is  entitled  to  a   copy  of  the 
Digest.  —  IV,  90. 

442.  In  the  matter  of  computing  mileage  for  distance  travelled  by  Repre- 
sentatives, the  Committee  on  Mileage  shall  take  the  official  guide  for  its 
government.  —  IV,  99. 

443.  The  only  way  in  which  the  validity  of  the  election  of  Representatives 
could  be  tested  would  be  by  an  appeal  to  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States. —V,  165. 

444.  In   no  case  can  a  brother  act,  or  be  considered  as   a  competent 
Representative  in  this  Great  Council,  unless  he  is  in  good  standing  in  a 
Tribe  of  the  jurisdiction  he  claims  to  represent.  — V,  117. 

445.  Representatives  to  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  have  not 
the  right  to  instruct  the  Tribes  in  their  reservations  in  the  amendments  and 
decisions    previous    to    their    promulgation   by   the   Great   Council.     They 
report  to  the  body  they  represent,  only.  —  IV,  417. 

446.  Great  Councils  entitled  to  more  than  one  Representative  should  at 
all  times  have  a  portion  of  their  Representatives  entitled  to  a  voice  in  the 
Great  Council,  and  one-half  of  the  number  only  should  serve  for  two  great 
suns.  —  VI,  52. 

447.  The  Great  Council    of  the  United    States   does  not  admit  or  allow 
representation  by  proxy.     When  a  Great  Representative  is  unable  to  attend, 
he  has  not  the  right  to  hand  his  credentials  over  to  any  Chief.     He  must 
resign,  and  during  the  recess  of  the  Great  Council  the  Great  Sachem  can 
appoint,  or  the  Great  Council  in  council  elect  his  successor.  —  VI,  120,  176. 

448.  Before  a  member  can   be  acknowledged  as  a  Representative,  the 
following  certificate  must  be  received  :  — 

Wigwam  of  Great  Council  of—     — ,  Imp.  O.  R.  M. 

This  is  to  certify  that  an  election  held  by  the  Great  Council  of , 

Brother was  elected  to  represent  the  Great  Council  of 

in  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  for  ....  great  suns,  from  the 
second  Tuesday  in  Corn  moon  next. 

Witness  our  hand  and  the  Seal  of  Our  Great  Council,  the  .  .  .  sun.  .  .  . 
moon,  G.  S.  D.  .  .  . 

Great  Sachem. 

[L.S.] Great  C.  of  R. 

Each  Representative  shall  be  presented  with  a  duplicate  of  the  above  cre- 
dential, and  either  the  original  or  duplicate  shall  be  referred  to  the  Committee 
on  Credentials,  who  shall  report  thereon  as  soon  as  practicable.  —  By-Laws 
G.  C.  U.  S. 


REVISED  DIGEST-  527 

449.  A  Representative  to  fill  a  vacancy  must  present  a  credential  giving  the 
name  of  the  Representative  in  whose  place  he  is  appointed  or  elected,  and 
stating  the  cause  of  such  vacancy.  —  By-Laws  G.  C.  U.  S. 

450.  A  Sachem  is  not  eligible  for  election  as  Representative  unless  he  is  a 
Past  Sachem.  —  IV,  13,  70,  81. 

45 1 .  To  entitle  a  Past  Sachem  to  a  seat  in  a  Great  Council  he  must  be  in 
good  standing,  and  a  member  of  a  Tribe  working  under  a  legal  and  unfor- 
feited  charter,  and  the  Tribe  must  have  sent  in  its  report,  and  paid  the  per 
capita  tax  due.  —  Vol.  VIII,  596. 

452.  On  the  call  of  States,  Representatives  must  not  present  their  instruc- 
tions, but  if  they  involve  a  change  in  the  laws  they  must  present  such  amend- 
ments as  they  deem  proper  to  carry  out  the  instructions  from  their  Great 
Council.  —VIII,  527. 

453.  A  protest  or  contest  against  the  admission   of  a  Representative  or 
Representatives  is  not  legal,  unless  a  copy  of  said  protest  or  contest  has  been 
filed  by  the  protestants  or  contestants,  with  the  Great  Sachem  of  the  Great 
Council  from  which  the  Representative  or  Representatives  hail.  —  IX,  81. 

RETURNS  AND  REPORTS. 

454.  Each  Great  Council  shall  make  out,  and  transmit  to  the  Great  Chief 
of  Records  on  or  before  the  first  of  Corn  moon,  a  great  sun's  report  of  its 
work,  in  accordance  with  the  form  sent  or  delivered  to  it  by  the  Great  Chief 
of  Records.     This  report  shall  be  accompanied  by  the  per  capita  tax  due 
this  Great  Council.     Any  Great  Council   neglecting  to   forward   its  report 
and  tax  by  the  time  specified  herein,  shall  forfeit  its  right  to  representation ; 
provided,  this  penalty  may  be  remitted  by  unanimous  consent.  —  By-Laws 
G.  C.  U.  S. 

455.  Tribes  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States  shall,  within  two  seven  suns  after  the  last  council  sleep  in  Hot 
and  Hunting  moons,  transmit  to  the  Great  Chiefs  of  Records  of  this  Great 
Council,  a  correct  report  of  the  receipts  and  expenditures,  together  with  the 
number  of  members,,  names,  and  number  of  adoptions,  rejections,  suspensions 
and  cause,  expulsions,  admissions,  and  withdrawals  by  card,  and  death ;  also 
the  per  capita  tax  due.  —  By- Laws  G.  C.  U.  S. 

RETURNS  —  TAX. 

456.  A  Great  Council  owes  per  capita  tax  on  the  entire  membership  of 
Tribes  under  its  jurisdiction.  —  III,  191,  224,  226. 

457.  The  fiscal  great  sun  shall  commence  on  the  ist  sun  of  Corn  moon, 
and  end  on  the  3ist  sun  of  Sturgeon  moon  of  each  great  sun.     All  returns 
and  reports  intended  for  the  Great  Council   of  the  United  States  shall  be 
made  out  in  accordance  with  the  foregoing,  and  forwarded  to  the  Great  Chief 
of  Records  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  on  or  before  the  ist 
sun  of  the  Corn  moon  of  each  and  every  great  sun.  — VI,  88,  433,  493. 

458.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  of  the  United 


528  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

States  to  report  the  delinquency  of  each  and  every  Great  Chief  of  Records, 
and  Chief  of  Records  of  every  Tribe  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  —  IV,  506,  306. 

459.  A  Tribe  is  required  to  make  returns  and  pay  tax  to  the  Great  Council 
of  the  United  States  for  the  six  moons  succeeding  institution.  —  IV,  159,  218. 

460.  The  per  capita  tax  is  to  be  paid  upon  all  members  on  the  books  of 
the  Tribe.  — 14,  70,  81. 

REVENUE. 

461.  The  charter  fee  for  the  Great  Councils  shall  be  thirty  fathoms.     For 
Tribes  and  Councils  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas,  fifteen  fathoms. 

I.  Each  Great  Council  shall  pay  every  great  sun  a  per  capita  tax  of  ten 
inches  for  every  member  under  its  jurisdiction. 

II.  Each  Tribe  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  this  Great  Council  shall 
pay  a  per  capita  tax  of  ten  inches  for  every  member  on  its  books  at  the  end 
of  each  term. 

III.  The  revenue  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  shall  be  the 
proceeds  for  the   sale  of  charters,  rituals,  cards,  odes,  diplomas,  and   such 
other  printed  matter  as  the  Great  Council  may  reserve  the  authority  to  fur- 
nish ;  also  fees  for  charters  for  Great  Councils,  Councils  of  Degree  of  Poca- 
hontas and  Tribes,  and  such  tax  as  may  be  adopted  by  the  Great  Council. 

IV. 

Fa.     Ft.    In. 

Charters 150 

Question  Books,  each 250 

Adoption      "        " i     o     o 

Degree          "         " 125 

Raising  up  Ceremonies,  each ....          2     5 

Funeral  "  " i     o    o 

Ceremonies  D.  of  P 125 

Proposition  Books  D.  P 250 

Beneficial  D.  C.  Ceremonies 125 

Ode  Books,  Music,  each 35 

Ode  Cards,  each 5 

Travelling  Cards,  each 12 

Withdrawal  Cards,  each 12 

Dismissal  Certificates 12 

First  Prophet's  Dispensations 5 

Digests 75 

—  By-Laws  G.  C.  U.  S. 

REVENUE  OF  STATE  GREAT  COUNCIL. 

462.  The  revenue  of  a  State  Great  Council  shall  be  derived  as  follows :  — 

I.  For  charter  of  a  Tribe,  including  books,  etc.,  not  less  than  twenty 
fathoms ;  and  such  per  cent  of  the  Tribe's  receipts  or  other  tax  as  the  Great 
Council  may  adopt. 


REVISED  DIGEST.  529 

II.  For  charter  of  a  Council  of  Pocahontas,  not  less  than  fifteen  fathoms. 
—  General  Rules. 

463.  Odes  used  by  the  various  branches  of  the  Order  must  be  purchased 
through  the  regular  channels.  —  VIII,  152. 

RITUAL  —  CARE  OF. 

464.  The  Rituals  and  other  private  work  of  the  Order  should  be  held  by, 
and  remain  in  charge  of,  the  presiding  Chief  of  each  branch  of  the  Order,  to 
be  kept  by  said  Chief  in  some  safe  receptacle,  under  lock  and  key,  within  the 
wigwam.  —  VI,  421 . 

465.  The   Great  Council  deems  it  inexpedient  to  have  the  private  work 
translated  or  printed  in  any  language,  other  than  the  languages  in  which  the 
same  is  now  printed.  — VIII,  569. 

SABBATH. 

466.  Tribes  or  other  branches  of  the  Order  are  prohibited  from  using  the 
name  and  seal  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  for  picnics  and  excursions 
on  the  sun  commonly  known  as  the  Sabbath,  or  the  first  day  of  the  week.  — 
IV,  61  ;  VI,  421. 

SEAL. 

467.  Each  Tribe  shall  have  a  seal  with  appropriate  device,  which  shall  be 
affixed  to  all  official  documents  emanating  therefrom. —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

468.  All  seals  should  date  from  the  time  of  institution,  with  the  standard 
of  time  then  in  use,  but  it  is  not  imperative  to  have  the  date  thereon.  —  III, 
80,  100. 

469.  Great  Councils  and  Tribes  must  procure  and  use  the  press-seal  instead 
of  the  paper-seal ;  but  the  impression  of  the  seal  may  be  printed  upon  circulars, 
notices,  or  other  printed  communications.  —  III,  114;  IV,  406. 

470.  The  seal  impressed  on  paper,  and  pasted  upon  a  certificate,  is  not 
legal  and  proper.  —  IV,  1 19. 

STANDARD  OR  FLAG. 

471.  The  flag  or  standard  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  shall  be  in 
the  form  of  an  oblong  square  or  parallelogram,  in  the  proportion  of  seven  long 
to  five  wide. 

It  shall  consist  of  a  white  field,  five  wide  and  seven  high.  Attached  to  it 
shall  be  four  horizontal  bars,  of  equal  width,  the  aggregate  width  of  the  four 
being  equal  to  the  height  of  the  field. 

The  color  of  the  bars,  respectively,  shall  be  green,  orange,  blue,  and  scarlet, 
the  green  bar  being  at  the  bottom,  and  the  others  placed  above  it  in  the  order 
above  enumerated. 

A  purple  stripe,  of  one-half  the  width  of  one  of  the  bars,  shall  enclose  t,he 
entire  circumference  of  the  flag ;  the  outer  edge  of  the  purple  stripe  (except 
where  attached  to  the  staff)  shall  be  trimmed  with  fringe  composed  of  the 
emblematic  colors  in  the  flag. 


530  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Upon  the  base  or  lower  edge  of  the  white  field  shall  be  delineated  the  upper 
section  of  the  globe,  showing  portions  'of  the  eastern  and  western  continents, 
the  date  G.  S.  D.  i,  appearing  immediately  above  the  globe  on  the  edge  of 
the  field  next  the  staff,  and  the  date  of  the  common  era,  appearing  in  like 
manner  and  position  on  the  opposite  edge  of  the  field. 

Above  the  globe,  and  in  the  centre  of  the  field,  shall  appear  the  American 
eagle,  bearing  the  emblems  of  our  Order  in  his  talons,  and  in  his  beak  a  scroll 
or  ribbon  containing  the  legend  or  motto  of  our  order,  "Freedom,  Friend- 
ship, and  Charity,"  and  upon  his  breast  the  shield  or  escutcheon,  with  the  four 
emblematic  bars,  and  a  field  upon  which  shall  appear  the  four  mystic  char- 
acters, T.  O.  T.  E. 

Above  the  eagle  shall  appear  the  thirteen  stars ;  upon  the  horizontal  bars 
may  appear  the  name  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  the  Great 
Council  of  a  State,  or  of  the  Tribe  to  be  designated  by  it. 

The  staff  shall  be  surmounted  by  the  eagle  of  the  Order,  and  shall  be 
decorated  with  cord  and  tassels  displaying  the  emblematic  colors  of  the 
Order.  —  IV,  377,  380. 

STRICKEN  FROM  THE  ROLL. 

472.  The  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  provides  in  the  law  that  a 
paleface  to  be  adopted  into  a  Tribe,  must  be  full  twenty-one  great  suns  of 
age.     The  body  has  also  prepared  a  number  of  questions,  among  them  is  one 
relating  to  age.     It  is  expected  that  each  paleface  will  answer  these  questions 
correctly.     A  failure  to  do  so  would  make  him  amenable  to  the  penalties  as 
laid  down  in  the  penal  code.     Where  a  paleface  has  answered  these  questions 
in  accordance  with  his  knowledge  and  belief,  and  sometime  after  his  adoption 
it  has  come  to  his  and  the  members1  knowledge  that  he  was  not  twenty-one 
great  suns  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  adoption,  and  has  not  as  yet  attained 
the  age,  it  follows  that  he  is  not  legally  a  member   of  the   Order,   and   it 
would  be  the  duty  of  the  Tribe  to  so  notify  him,  and  strike  his  name  from 
the  roll. 

SUSPENSIONS. 

473.  A  member  of  the  Order  who  becomes  in  arrears  for  dues  for  the  period 
of  one  great  sun  may  be  suspended   or  dropped  from  membership,  but  he 
cannot  be  expelled  from  the  Order  for  being  in  arrears  for  dues.  — V,  200. 

474.  A  brother  suspended  for  non-payment  of  dues  nlust  make  application 
to  be  reinstated  and  a  committee  appointed   as   in   case  of  a  paleface,  and 
upon  the  report  of  the  committee,  a  ballot  must  be  taken.  —  V,  14,  70,  81. 

475.  An  elective  Chief,  who  has  been  tried  for  any  offence  against  the  laws 
or  usages  of  the  Order,  and  sentenced  to  suspension  for  one  moon  or  more, 
loses  his  chieftaincy.  —  V,  169,  198. 

476.  In  the  event  of  the  Sachem's  suspension,  the  Chief  presiding  at  the 
time  must  declare  the  station  vacant,  and  the  proper  Chief  to  assume  the 
Station  and  conduct  an  election  is  the  Senior  or  Junior  Sagamore,  as  the  case 


REVISED  DIGEST.  531 

may  be ;   in   the  event  of  their  absence,  a  Past  Sachem  may  be   called   to 
preside.  —  169,  198. 

477.  The  suspension  of  a  member  for  non-payment  of  dues  does  not  work 
absolute  forfeiture  of  membership,  nor  does  it  relieve  the  person  suspended 
from  the  operation  of  the  penal  provision  of  the  laws.     It  simply  annuls  his 
claims  to   the  benefits  of  the  Tribe  in  case  of  sickness  or  other   disability 
during  the  period  of  his  suspension  and  from  visiting  his  own  or  any  other 
Tribe.     In  all  other  respects  he  is  precisely  on  the  same  footing  as  any  other 
member  of  the  Tribe.  —  V,  374,  433. 

478.  A  State  Great  Council  cannot  enact  a  law  by  which  Tribes  under  its 
jurisdiction  are  enabled  to  "  drop  "  members  who  are  in  arrears  for  dues  for  a 
less  amount  than  one  great  sun's  dues.  — VI,  14,  49,  64. 

479.  The  vote  of  a  Tribe  necessary  to  place  in  good  standing  a  brother 
who  has  been  suspended  for  non-payment  of  dues  is  a  question  for   State 
Great  Councils  to  decide.  — VI,  302. 

480.  A  Great  Sachem  or  Deputy  has  no  power  to  suspend  a  Sachem  for 
gross  violation  of  law.     Punishment  can  be  inflicted  only  after  due  trial.  — 
V,  302. 

481.  A  member  suspended  for  non-payment  of  dues  can  regain  member- 
ship in  the  Order  only  by  reinstatement  in  accordance  with  the  law  or  by  a 
dismissal  certificate  granted  by  the  Tribe  of  which  he  formerly  was  a  member. 
A  suspended  member  having  been   adopted   into   another   Tribe   must   be 
excluded  from  membership  upon  full  proof  of  his  former  suspension.     He 
would  also  be  liable  under  the  law  to  have  charges  brought  against  him  and 
a  penalty  imposed  for  a  violation  of  his  obligation,  in  falsely  answering  ques- 
tion No.  6,  but  this  should  be  done  in  the  Tribe  from  which  he  was  suspended 
for  non-payment  of  dues.  —  VIII,  489. 

TAMMANY'S  DAY. 

482.  The  various  Great  Councils  and  Tribes  are  recommended  to  assemble 
in  their  wigwams,  or  at  such  other  places  as  may  be  designated  by  dispen- 
sation, for  the  celebration    of  Tammany's  Day,  in  commemoration  of  the 
Great  Chief  whose  virtues  have  won  for  him  an  honorable  place  in  history.  — 
III,  143,  157,  163,  165. 

483.  Tammany's  Day  falls  on  the  I2th  of  Flower  Moon.  —  III,  374,  428. 

TERMS  OF  CHIEFS. 

484.  The  Chiefs  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  shall  be  elected 
for  two  great  suns.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

485.  The  Chiefs  of  State  Great  Councils  shall  be  elected  for  one  great  sun. 
—  General  Laws. 

486.  Great  Councils  may  enact  a  law  that  the  term  of  the  Great  Chief  of 
Records  and  the  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum  may  be  two  great  suns.  —  General 
Laws. 

487.  Terms  of  Tribes  and  Councils  of  Pocahontas  under  the  jurisdiction 


532 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 


of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  shall  be  six  moons.  —  By-Laws 
G.C.U.  S. 

488.  Terms  of  Tribes  and  Councils  of  Pocahontas  shall  be  six  moons,  but 
State  Great  Councils  may  provide  that  the  term  of  these  branches  may  be 
one  great  sun.  —  General  Laws. 

489.  Representatives  to  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  shall  serve 
for  two  great  suns  from  the  first  sun  of  Corn  moon  next  succeeding  their 
election,  but  at  the  first  election  by  a  Great  Council  entitled  to  more  than 
one  Representative,  one-half  the  number  to  which  it  is  entitled  shall  serve  for 
one  great  sun  only.  —  By-Laws  G.  C.  U.  S. 

TRIALS. 

490.  Any  Chief  or  member  of  this  Great  Council  may  be  removed  or  ex- 
pelled from  membership  in  the  body  upon  a  charge  being  preferred  against 
him ;  said  charge  to  be  confined  to  a  violation  of  any  of  the  obligations  he 
may  have  taken,  the  laws  of  this  body,  or  for  any  improper  conduct  tending 
to  degrade  his  position  or  the  Order. 

I.  Any  member  of  the  Great  Council  desiring  to  prefer  charges  against 
any  of  its   members  shall  file  said  charge,  with  specifications  in  triplicate, 
with  the  Great  Incohonee,  who  shall  immediately  submit  the  same  to  the 
Great  Council.     The  Great  Incohonee  shall  refer  such  charge  to  a  special 
committee  of  five;  if  said  charges  are  against  the  Great  Incohonee,  the  same 
shall  be  filed  with  the  Great  Chief  of  Records,  who  shall  submit  the  same  to 
the  Great  Council,  and  the  Great  Senior  Sagamore  shall  appoint  the  com- 
mittee of  five,  and   shall  also  preside  during  the  time  the  charge  is  under 
consideration  by  the  Great  Council. 

II.  A  copy  of  the  charge  or  charges  must  be  furnished  by  the  accuser 
at  least  ten  suns  prior  to  the  time  of  trial ;  provided,  the  alleged  offence  or 
offences  were  not  committed  during  the  councils  of  the  Great  Council,  or 
within  ten  suns  prior  thereto.     If  within  the  time  mentioned,  then  one  sun's 
notice  will  be  sufficient. 

III.  The  committee  shall  fully  investigate  the  charge  or  charges,  report 
the  result  of  such  investigation  to  the  Great  Council,  recommending  such 
punishment  as  they  may  deem  proper,  and  if  the  report  is  adopted  by  a  vote 
of  three-fourths  of  the  Representatives  present,  it  shall  be  recorded  as  the 
judgment  of  the  Great  Council. 

IV.  Suspension  or  expulsion  from  a  Great  Council  or  a  Tribe  to  which  a 
Chief  or  member  of  this  Great  Council  belongs,  shall  operate  as  a  suspension 
or  expulsion  from  chieftaincy  or  membership  in  this  Great  Council,  and  the 
vacancy  thereby  created  shall  be  filled  in   the   manner  prescribed  by  the 
laws.  —  By-Laws  G.  C.  U.  S. 

491.  A  Great  Council,  in  the  absence  of  law,  cannot  prefer  charges,  try, 
convict,  and  punish  a  member  thereof  for  violation  of  his  obligation,  or  any 
improper  conduct  whereby  the  Order  may  be  brought  into  contempt,  but  it 


REVISED   DIGEST. 


533 


has  the  right  and  power  to   enact    by-laws   for  its   government,  subject   to 
approval  by  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  —  III,  113,  115. 

492.  No  member  can  be  put  on  trial  for  an  offence  unless  the  charge  or 
charges  be  reduced  to  writing,  signed  by  the  accuser  and  distinctly  specify 
the  cause  or  causes  of  complaint,  and  the  time  and  place  of  occurrence,  a 
copy  of  which  shall  be  furnished  to  the  accused  by  the  Chief  of  Records 
before  the  next  council  sleep.  At  the  first  council  sleep  after  the  charge 
shall  have  been  preferred,  a  committee  of  five  shall  be  selected  to  investigate 
the  charge,  of  whom  one  shall  be  appointed  by  the  Sachem,  one  by  the 
Senior  Sagamore,  and  the  remaining  three  shall  be  drawn  by  lot  from  among 
the  members  present  (in  good  standing),  in  the  manner  following,  to  wit : 
The  twig  box  shall  be  placed  immediately  in  front  of  the  Sachem,  and  a 
number  of  ballots  equal  to  all  the  members  present  entitled  to  serve  (less 
the  two  members  of  the  committee  previously  appointed,  such  members  as 
may  be  named  as  witnesses,  and  the  accused  and  accuser),  shall  be  placed 
therein.  Three  of  said  ballots  shall  have  written  on  them  the  word  "Com- 
mittee,11 the  rest  shall  be  blank.  The  Chief  of  Records  shall  then  call  over 
the  names  of  the  members  present  (a  list  of  whom  shall  be  entered  on  the 
records,  as  also  of  those  excused  by  reason  of  being  witnesses),  and  each,  as 
his  name  is  called,  shall  draw  a  ballot  from  the  twig  box,  and  hand  the  same 
to  the  Sachem,  who  shall  announce  the  nature  of  the  ballot,  whether  blank 
or  otherwise,  retaining  the  ballots  until  the  drawing  is  over.  The  three 
members  drawing  the  ballot  with  the  word  "  Committee  "  thereon  shall,  with 
the  brothers  before  appointed,  constitute  the  committee. 

I.  The  committee  shall  organize  on  the  sleep  of  its  appointment,  by  the 
election   of  a   chairman   and   secretary,  after  which,  with   as  little  delay  as 
possible,  the  secretary  shall  notify  the  accused  and  the  accuser  or  accusers,  of 
the  time  and  place  appointed  for  investigating  the  charges.     At  the  time  so 
appointed  the  committee  must  proceed  with  the  investigation,  even  though 
one  of  the  parties  be  absent,  unless  a  written  notice  be  received  stating  his 
inability  to  attend  by  reason  of  sickness,  no  other  reason  being  admissible. 
In  the  event  of  such  notice  being  received,  the  committee  shall  adjourn  to 
another  fixed  time,  of  which  both  parties  shall  have   notice.     This  adjourn- 
ment shall  not  extend  beyond  two  seven  suns,  at  which  time  the  committee 
shall  proceed  with  the  investigation.     Each  side  shall  have  the  right  to  be 
represented  before  the  committee  by  counsel,  who  must  be  members  of  the 
Order  in  good  standing. 

II.  It  shall   be  the  duty  of  the  committee  to  examine  the   parties,  their 
proof  and  witnesses.     The  committee  shall  keep  a  correct  record  of  the  pro- 
ceedings, and  shall  also  reduce  the  testimony  taken  to  writing,  to  be  signed 
by  the  witness  at  the  end  of  his  or  her   examination,  the  same  being  first 
carefully  read  over  to  them.     After  having  heard  the  evidence,  the  committee 
shall  reduce  its  opinion  as  to  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  the  accused,  on  each 
charge  and  specification,  to  writing  (to  be  plainly  written  in  ink),  and  report 
the  same,  together  with  the  journal  and  the  original  testimony,  to  the  Tribe 
at  its  earliest  stated  council  after  the  work  of  the  committee  is  completed. 


534 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED   MEN. 


III.  When  the  committee  submits  its  report,  the  accused  must  be  notified 
thereof  by  the  Chief  of  Records  under  seal,  and  directed  to  be  present  at  the 
next  stated  council,  at  which  time  the  report  must  be  considered.     If  the 
report  is  approved  by  a  majority  of  the  members  voting,  it  shall  be  recorded 
as  the  judgment  of  the  Tribe.     The  Tribe  must  then  prescribe  the  degree  of 
punishment  to  be  imposed  in  accordance  with  the  law ;  the  vote  thereon  must 
be  by  ballot,  and  a  majority  of  the  votes  cast  shall  decide,  except  for  expul- 
sion, when  the  assent  of  two-thirds  of  the  members  voting  shall  be  necessary. 

IV.  When  a  motion  prescribing  the  punishment  is  before  the  Tribe,  the 
same  shall  be  considered  as  any  other  motion  and  be  subject  to  the  same 
rules ;   provided,  that  motions  and  amendments  relative   to   the  degree  of 
punishment  shall  be  treated  as  a  blank,  and  the  blank  shall  be  filled  by  voting 
upon  the  most  severe  punishment  first.     If  that  be  lost,  a  less  severe  punish- 
ment shall  be  voted  upon  until  the  judgment  of  the  Tribe  is  declared.      As 
soon  as  the  Tribe  has  fixed  the  penalty,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Chief  of 
Records  to  notify  the  brother. 

V.  When  a  member  of  one  Tribe  desires  to  prefer  a  charge  or  charges 
against  a  member  or  members  of  another  Tribe,  he  shall  present  such  charge 
or  charges  in  the  usual  form  to  the  Tribe  of  which  he  (the  accuser)  is  a  mem- 
ber.    Said  Tribe  shall  forthwith  forward  to  the  Tribe  to  which  the  accused 
belongs  a  certified  copy  of  the  charge  or  charges  over  the  signatures  of  the 
Sachem  and  Chief  of  Records,  and  attested  by  the  seal  of  the  Tribe ;  and  the 
Tribe  to  whom  such  charge  or  charges  shall  be  sent  shall  proceed  to  hear  and 
determine,  the  same  in  like  manner  as  if  preferred  by  a  member  of  its  own 
body. 

VI.  A   Tribe,  upon  due   investigation,  and   trial,  having  decided   that  a 
charge  or  charges  made  against  a  brother  have  not  been  sustained,  its  de- 
cision is  final.     The  brother  who  preferred  the  charges  cannot  appeal  from 
the  decision  of  the  Tribe.  —  Code  of  Procedure. 

493.  A  member,  while  charges  are  pending  against  him,  so  long  as  he  is  a 
member  of  the  Tribe,  has  a  right  to  prefer  charges  against  any  brother.  —  IV, 
159,212. 

494.  A  brother  cannot  be  expelled  until  after  due  trial  in  accordance  with 
the  requirements  of  the  laws  governing  the  body  of  which  he  is  a  member.  — 
IV,  82,  107. 

495.  A  member  who  clandestinely  leaves  his  former  hunting  grounds  after 
incurring  a  large  amount  of  indebtedness  with  his   brother  Red  Men,  and 
without  providing  any  way  to  liquidate  such  indebtedness,  and  compelling 
brothers,  members  of  said  Tribe,  to  pay  a  large  amount  for  him  after  he  has 
left,  may  be  expelled  after  due  trial.  —  IV,  203. 

496.  If  a  By-Law  of  the  Tribe  says  that  a  brother  proved  guilty  shall  be 
expelled,  while  the  constitution  states  that  a  resolution  to  expel  a  brother  can 
be  adopted  only  by  ballot,  the  Tribe  must  ballot,  upon  the  resolution  of 
expulsion.  —  IV,  404. 

497.  Members  in  good  standing  are  competent  to  constitute  a  committee 
on  charges  without  regard  to  the  rank  of  the  accused  brother.  —  VI,  420. 


REVISED  DIGEST.  535 

498.  When  a   brother  is  acquitted  of  charges  that   have  been   preferred 
against  him,  the  decision  is  final,  and  irregularities  not  objected  to  at  the 
time  of  trial,  cannot  be  made  the  basis  of  an  appeal.  —  IX,  26,  140. 

TRIBES. 

499.  Tribes  exist  by  virtue  of  charters  issued  by  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United   States   or  those  granted    by   the   Great   Councils  of    reservations 
wherein  the  Tribes  are  located.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U  S. 

500.  If  Tribes  admit  palefaces  for  less  than  the  constitutional  fees  they 
violate  the  laws  of  their  reservation  and  are  amenable  therefore  to  the  Great 
Council.     The  Great  Incohonee,   or   Great  Council   of  the   United    States, 
cannot  take  cognizance  of  such  matters  until  the  resources  of  the  local  laws 
are  exhausted,  and  then  the  matter  should  be  brought  to  the  attention  of  the 
Great  Incohonee  in  the  shape  of  formal  charges.  —  V,  372,  428. 

501.  A  Tribe  working  in  the  German  language  by  consent  of  a  State  Great 
Council  and  custom,  can  change  its  mode  of  working  and  work  in  the  Eng- 
lish language ;  provided  permission  is  received  from  the  legal  authorities.  — 
IV,  158,  212. 

502.  It  is  contrary  to  the  usage  of  the  Order  and  subversive  of  its  general 
welfare  and  harmony  to  permit  a  Tribe  to  work  in  both   the  German  and 
English  languages. —  IV,  5,  60. 

503.  A  dispensation  permitting  a  Tribe  to  ask  help  financially  from  other 
Tribes  and  jurisdictions,  should  only  be  granted  in  extreme  cases  of  hardship 
and  want,  and  then  permission  must  be  had  from  the  legal  authorities  of  the 
reservations.  —  IV,  160,  214. 

504.  No  business  but  that  specified  in  the  "  call "  for  a  special  kindling  of 
the  council  fire  of  any  branch  of  the  Order,  or  business  incident  to  it,  can  be 
transacted  thereat.  —  V,  374,  428. 

505.  A  Tribe  has  the  privilege  to  "vary  the  Order  of  Business,"  as  may 
best  suit  its  convenience,  if  there  is  no  violation  of  any  law  on  that  subject, 
or  anything  destructive  of  the  Ritual.  —  V,  178,  199. 

506.  Tribes  in  reservations  where  Great  Councils  exist  must  present  busi- 
ness to  its  State  Great  Council.  —  VI,  149. 

507.  Tribal  jurisdiction  is  a  subject  for  local  legislation.  —  VI,  304. 

508.  Tribes  exist  by  virtue  of  charters  issued  by  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United    States,   or  those   granted  by   the   Great   Councils   of    reservations 
wherein  the  tribes  are  located.     When   the   Great   Council   of  the   United 
States  places  a  reservation  under  a  Great  Council,  and  through  the  authority 
invested,  said  Great  Council  lights  the  council  brands  of  several  Tribes  in 
said  reservation,  and  legally  issues  to  them  charters,  and  the  Tribes  in  said 
reservation  having  applied  for  and  received  a  charter  for  a  Great  Council,  and 
said  body  having  been  duly  constituted,  when  so  constituted  has  full  author- 
ity and   control  over  all  Tribes  in  said  reservation.     No  Tribe  can  legally 
exist   within  that  reservation  without  its  authority  and  consent.     It  is  not 
necessary  to  renew  the  charters.     The  same  is  as  much  in  force  and  makes 
the  Tribe  amenable  to  the  Great  Council  as  if  said  body  had  granted  them.  — 
IX,  32. 


536  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 


TWIGGING. 

509.  Upon  the  report  of  the  committee  a  ballot  shall  be  taken,  and  if  two 
or  more  black  twigs  shall  have  been  deposited,  action  on  the  application  shall 
be  deferred  until  the  next  stated  council  of  the  Tribe,  when  another  ballot 
shall  be  had  and  if  not  more  than  three  of  the  twigs  then  cast  are  black  the 
candidate  shall  be  declared  elected.     If  rejected  his  application  shall  not  be 
renewed  in  any  Tribe  of  the  Order  for  the  space  of  six  moons.  —  Constitu- 
tion G.  C.  U.  S. 

510.  When  an  applicant  for  membership  has  been  twigged   for,  the  box 
should  be  examined  by  the  Senior  Sagamore,  and  the  result  announced  by 
the  Sachem.  —  V,  198. 

511.  In  all  cases  a  ballot  must  be  had  upon  the  report  of  a  committee  on 
a  candidate  for  admission  by  adoption  or  card,  whether  the  report  is  favorable 
or  unfavorable.  —  VIII,  487. 

VACANCIES. 

512.  If  any  of  the  Great  Chiefs  is  temporarily  absent  his  chieftaincy  shall 
be  filled  by  appointment  of  some  member  by  the  Great  Incohonee.  —  Consti- 
tution G.  C.  U.  S. 

513.  Incase  of  a  vacancy  in  the  representation  from  a  Great  Council  by 
death,  removal,  or  other  cause,  the  Great  Sachem  thereof  may  appoint  a 
qualified  Past  Sachem  to  serve  for  one  great  sun.  —  By-Laws  G.  C.  U.  S. 

514.  All  vacancies  by  removal,  death,  suspension,  resignation,  or  otherwise, 
shall  be  filled  by  election  or  appointment  as  the  case  may  be,  and  the  brother 
who  fills  the  unexpired  term  is  entitled  to  the  honors  of  the  term.  — Constitu- 
tion G.  C.  U.  S. 

515.  A  Tribe  has  no  right  to  declare  the  stump  of  a  Chief  vacant  without 
first  giving  him  an  opportunity  to  submit  an  excuse  for  his  absence.  —  IV, 
203. 

516.  In  case  of  a  vacancy,  the  Tribe  may  fill  it  upon  the  same  sleep  it 
occurs  if  it  has  no  law  to  the  contrary.  —  IV,  82,  1 10. 

517.  If  the  Sachem  resigns,  the  Senior  Sagamore  can  be  elected  to  fill  the 
vacancy  without   resigning   his  chieftaincy.     His  elevation  to  the  Sachem's 
stump  will  vacate  his  station.     This  rule  governs  the  Junior  Sagamore.  —  IV, 
82,  no,  in. 

518.  The  stump  of  an  elective  Chief  can  become  vacant  only  by  the  resig- 
nation, expulsion,  absence  without  excuse,  or  death  ;  but  a  Tribe  may  impose 
a  fine  upon  a  Chief  for  neglect  of  duty.  —  15,  82,  107. 

519.  If  the  Prophet's  stump  is  vacant,  and  there  is  no  Past  Sachem  present 
to  fill  it,  a  Chief  or  degree  member  may  be  appointed  to  occupy  it  temporarily. 
-  254,  298. 

520.  A  vacancy  in  representation  can  exist  only  where  a  regularly  elected 
Representative  has  resigned,  or  on  the  death  of  one  or  more  of  the  Represen- 
tatives ;  but  if  a  regularly  elected  Representative  cannot,  or  fails  to,  attend  the 
councils  of  this  Great  Council,  the  Great  Sachem  of  a  State  has  no  right  to 


REVISED   DIGEST.  537 

appoint  a  substitute,  under  the  law  as  it  now  exists,  neither  a  substitute  nor 
an  alternate  being  recognized  by  the  laws  of  this  Great  Council.  —  IV,  18,  55. 

521.  In  case  of  the  death,  resignation,  or  disqualification  of  the  Great  Inco- 
honee,  the  Great  Senior  Sagamore  shall  be  invested  with  all  his  authority 
and   powers,  and   be  entitled  to  the  rank  of  Past  Great  Incohonee  at   the 
expiration  of  his  term  of  service.  — Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

522.  In  case  of  the   death,  resignation,  or   disqualification  of  the  Great 
Senior  Sagamore  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  the  Great  Junior 
shall  be  invested  with  all  his  authority  and  power.  —  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

VISITATIONS. 

523.  When  a  Tribe  shall  have  arrived  at  the  forest  of  the  Tribe  proposed 
to  be  visited,  the  Sannap  of  the  visiting  Tribe  shall  enter  the  wigwam  and 
and  announce  the  presence  of  his  Tribe ;  then  the  Sachem  shall  direct  his 
Sannap   to   proceed   to  the  forest  and  ask  the  visiting  Sachem  or  Chief  in 
charge  if  he  will  vouch  for  all  the  members  of  his  Tribe  accompanying  him ; 
if  an  affirmative  answer  is  returned,  the  Sannap  of  the  Tribe  to  be  visited  shall 
then  escort  the  visitors  into  the  wigwam ;  the  visiting  Sachem  shall  give,  at 
the  two  wickets,  the  words  required  by  the  regulations  of  the  Order ;  and  the 
respective  Chiefs  having  been  saluted,  the  Sannap  shall  formally  introduce 
the  visiting  Chiefs  and  brothers  to  his  Sachem  and  Tribe,  when  the  honors 
of  the  Order  shall  be  tendered,  and  the  brothers  seated.  —  IV,  352,  392. 

524.  A  Deputy  Great    Sachem  or   Deputy  Great  Incohonee   has  not  the 
power  to  introduce  to  a  Tribe  in  his  district  a  visiting  brother  from  another 
jurisdiction,  who  does  not  have  the  universal  password,  or  an  order  for  the 
same.—  IV,  253,  298. 

525.  A  brother  shall  at  all  times  be  allowed  to  visit  and  attend  the  council 
of  any  Tribe  under  the  jurisdiction  of  any  Great  Council,  in  conformity  with 
the  Ritual,  provided  he  is  legally  in  possession  of  the  universal  password.  — 
Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

VOTING. 

526.  Representatives  and  Past  Great  Incohonees  alone  shall  be  entitled  to 
vote  upon  any  question  before  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  —  Con- 
stitution G.  C.  U.  S. 

527.  It  is  proper  to  use  the  word  "  twig  "  for  "  vote."  —  IV,  254,  298. 

528.  The  presiding  Chief  has  a  right  to  vote  on  all  applications  for  mem- 
bership, for  degrees,  and  on  the  election  of  Chiefs.  —  IV,  254,  208. 

529.  To  constitute  a  legal  vote  for  the  admission  of  candidates,  or  the 
application  for  degrees,  the  number  of  twigs  should  be  at  least  equal  to  the 
number  of  brothers  required  to  make  a  quorum.  —  VII,  587. 

530.  If  only  a  quorum  is  present  at  the  council  of  a  tribe,  unanimous  con- 
sent is  requisite  to  adopt  an  appropriation  of  wampum  for  any  other  purpose 
than  benefits.  —  IX,  23. 

531.  To  expel  a  member  the  assent  of  two  thirds  of  the  members  voting  is 
necessary.  —  IX,  23. 


538          IMPROVED  ORDER  of  RED  MEN. 

532.  A  majority  of  the  votes  cast  shall  be  necessary  to  suspend  a  member. 
-IX,  23. 

WITHDRAWAL  OF  APPLICATIONS. 

533.  No  proposition  for  membership  shall  be  withdrawn  after  it  has  been 
referred    to  a  committee,   except    by    unanimous    consent.  —  Constitution 
G.  C.U.  S. 

ERRATA. 

CHIEFTAINCIES. 

534.  Neither  Great  Councils  nor  Great  Sachems  have  the  right  to  create 
an  office  or  chieftaincy  not  provided  for  by  any  legislation  of  their  bodies  or 
the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States. 

COUNCILS. 

535.  When  the  council  sleep  of  any  Tribe,  Council  of  the  Degree  of  Poca- 
hontas,  or  other  body  under  the  jurisdiction  of  this  Great  Council  or  the 
Great  Council  of  any  reservation,  shall  fall  upon  a  legal  holiday,  said  council 
may  be  dispensed  with  without  dispensation ;  provided,  that  should  the  holi- 
day fall  upon  the  sleep  of  election,  said  election  shall  take  place  at  the  reg- 
ular council  preceding  such  holiday. 

MEMBERSHIP. 

536.  Whenever  a  brother  in  good  standing  has  lost  his  membership  by 
reason  of  the  dissolution  of  his  Tribe,  and  he  is  refused  membership  in  any 
Tribe  by  reason  of  age,  then  said  member,  upon  payment  of  the  indebtedness 
charged  against  him  on  the  books  of  said  defunct  Tribe,  shall  be  considered 
a  member  at  large,  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  wherein  he 
resides,  and  under  such  regulations  as  to  seven  suns1  dues  and  otherwise  as 
said  Great  Council  may  adopt,  and  shall  receive  the  universal  password,  which 
will  admit  him  into  any  Tribe  throughout  the  great  reservation  ;  and  if  a  Past 
Sachem,  he  shall  be  entitled  to  attend  the  councils  of  the  Great  Council  on 
presenting  a  certificate,  signed  by  the  Great  Sachem  and  the  Great  Chief  of 
Records,  that  he  has  paid  the  sum  laid  down  in  the  laws  governing  cases  of 
this  kind. 

REINSTATEMENT. 

537.  A  member  expelled  from  the  Order  cannot  be  restored  to  membership 
in  the  Tribe,  except  after  application  to  the  Tribe,  and  by  permission  of  the 
Great  Council  or  the  Board  of  Great  Council  Chiefs,  during  the  interim,  and 
the  vote  necessary  to  reinstate  him  is  the  same  vote  which  expelled  him  from 
membership.  —  Code  of  Procedure. 

REORGANIZATION. 

538.  If  the  law  of  a  Great  Council  fails  to  specify  the  number  required  to 
be  present  at  the  institution  of  a  Tribe  or  its  reinstitution,  the  instituting  Chief 
should  be  the  judge,  provided  that  not  less  than  the  quorum  necessary  to 
kindle  a  council  fire  is  present. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

LEGISLATION. CONSTITUTIONS. 

THE  practical  management  of  an  organization  requires  a  cer- 
tain theory  of  legislation,  and  the  choice  of  officers  needed  to 
properly  transact  the  business  provided  for  in  the  laws  thereof. 
While  the  titles  differ,  the  duties  of  the  chiefs,  or  officers,  of  this 
Order  are  relatively  similar  to  those  performed  by  kindred  frater- 
nal and  benevolent  societies. 

The  legislation,  by  which  the  Order  is  governed,  provides 
for  a  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  which  is  the  supreme 
power.  From  this  emanates  all  authority  for  the  establishment 
of  local  branches  in  towns  and  cities,  and  Great  Councils  in  the 
various  States  and  Territories. 

The  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  has  for  its  chiefs,  or 
officers,  the  presiding  officer  who  is  known  as  Great  Incohonee  ; 
the  Great  Senior  Sagamore,  second  in  authority ;  Great  Junior 
Sagamore,  third ;  Great  Prophet,  who  is  usually  a  Past  Great 
Incohonee ;  the  Great  Chief  of  Records,  who  in  other  organiza- 
tions would  be  known  as  the  Supreme  Secretary ;  the  Great 
Keeper  of  Wampum,  corresponding  to  Supreme  Treasurer ;  the 
Great  Tocakon,  the  runner  of  the  Great  Incohonee ;  the  Great 
Minewa,  who  has  charge  of  the  inner  wicket,  and  the  Great 
Guard  of  the  Forest,  who  has  charge  of  the  outer  wicket.  There 
is  a  standing  Committee  on  Finance,  composed  of  three  members, 
which  meets  every  great  sun  previous  to  the  council  of  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States,  for  the  examination  of  the  books 
and  accounts  of  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  and  Great  Keeper 
of  Wampum,  as  well  as  for  the  purpose  of  making  estimates 
concerning  the  appropriations  for  the  ensuing  term,  and  a  Com- 
mittee on  Laws,  of  three  members,  whose  duties  are  denned  in 
the  laws.  At  each  council  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States  additional  committees  are  appointed,  consisting  of  seven 

539 


540  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

members  each,  on  Distribution  of  Longtalks,  State  of  the 
Order,  Judiciary,  Appeals  and  Grievances,  Charters,  Mileage 
and  Per  Diem,  and  Degree  of  Pocahontas.  Among  these 
committees  is  divided  the  business  upon  various  matters  con- 
sidered by  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States. 

The  State  Great  Council,  under  authority  delegated  to  it  by 
the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  within  the  State  exer- 
cises authority  similar  to  that  exercised  by  the  Great  Council 
of  the  United  States  over  the  entire  Order.  Where  a  State 
Great  Council  exists,  Tribes  within  that  reservation  are  organ- 
ized by  the  authority  and  consent  of  said  body.  The  pre- 
siding chief  is  called  Great  Sachem.  The  other  chiefs  are 
Great  Senior  Sagamore,  Great  Junior  Sagamore,  Great  Chief  of 
Records,  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  Great  Sannap,  Great 
Mishinewa,  Great  Guard  of  Wigwam,  and  Great  Guard  of 
Forest.  Their  duties  are  similar  to  the  corresponding  chiefs  of 
the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  Each  Great  Council 
selects  such  committees  as  are  necessary  for  the  proper  trans- 
action of  business. 

The  local  branches  of  the  Order  are  Tribes,  Degree  Councils, 
and  Councils  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas. 

Tribes  may  be  organized  with  not  less  than  seven  members, 
a  quorum  consisting  of  not  less  than  five  members,  including 
one  qualified  to  preside.  The  chiefs  of  a  Tribe  are  Sachem, 
who  presides,  Senior  Sagamore,  Junior  Sagamore,  Chief  of 
Records,  Collector  of  Wampum,  Keeper  of  Wampum,  two 
Sannaps,  four  Warriors,  four  Braves,  two  Powwows,  Guard 
of  the  Wigwam,  and  Guard  of  the  Forest.  To  the  Tribe  is 
entrusted  the  beneficial  features  of  the  Order.  Among  the 
duties  enjoined  upon  the  Tribe,  and  practised  by  the  Order, 'is 
the  injunction  to  visit  the  sick,  relieve  the  distressed,  bury  the 
dead,  and  educate  the  orphan.  In  addition  to  the  chiefs  above 
named,  Tribes  have  committees  on  relief,  on  visitation  of  the 
sick,  on  entertainment,  and  for  such  other  purposes  as  may  be 
necessary  for  the  proper  transaction  of  Tribal  business.  A 
stipulated  sum  is  paid  during  each  seven  suns'  sickness  which 
under  the  laws  may  not  be  less  than  one  fathom  per  seven  suns, 
or  one  dollar  per  week.  Tribes  usually  adopt  a  law  limiting  the 
payment  of  the  full  benefit,  which  varies  from  four  to  twelve 


LEGISLATION,    CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  541 

fathoms  per  seven  suns,  for  a  stated  time,  in  some  instances 
thirteen,  in  others  twenty-six  weeks.  The  funeral  benefit  is 
also  a  matter  of  local  legislation,  varying  in  the  different  Tribes. 

The  Councils  of  Pocahontas  are  organized  for  the  admission 
of  any  woman  of  good  moral  character,  and  members  of  the 
Order  who  have  attained  the  Chief's  Degree.  The  chiefs  of  the 
Council,  whose  duties  correspond  with  similar  chiefs  of  the  Tribe, 
consist  of  Pocahontas,  who  is  the  presiding  chief,  Wenonah, 
Prophetess,  Keeper  of  Records,  Collector  of  Wampum,  Keeper 
of  Wampum,  Powhatan,  two  Scouts,  two  Runners,  two  Coun- 
sellors, four  Warriors,  Guard  of  Wigwam,  and  Guard  of  the 
Forest.  Councils  usually  select  a  double  set  of  Warriors,  four 
men  and  four  women.  As  a  rule  Councils  are  not  beneficial. 
That  is,  do  not  pay  seven  suns'  and  funeral  benefits.  The 
Degree  is  intended  more  for  social  purposes,  and  for  advancing 
the  interests  and  prosperity  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 
It  is  intended  to  be  for  the  Order  what  the  Rebekah  Degree  is 
for  Odd  Fellowship,  the  Eastern  Star  Degree  for  Masonry,  and 
the  Women's  Relief  Corps  for  the  G.  A.  R. 

In  a  few  reservations  Degree  Councils  have  been  organized. 
These  were  originally  instituted  for  the  purpose  of  perfecting 
the  degree  work,  and  conferring  the  degrees  upon  members 
adopted  in  Tribes.  It  facilitated  the  business  of  the  Tribes, 
and  the  work  of  the  Order  was  given  in  a  very  much  more 
satisfactory  manner.  In  some  instances  these  Councils  are 
beneficial,  in  others  not.  The  chiefs  governing  them  are 
almost  exactly  similar  to  those  of  the  Tribe.  They  possess  no 
legislative  authority,  all  the  local  power  being  vested  in  the 
Tribe. 

The  Constitution  of  the  Order  is  herewith  appended,  which 
will  give  in  detail  the  laws  and  regulations  now  in  force.  In 
Chapters  VII  and  VIII  of  this  History,  devoted  to  the  printed 
records  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  frequent 
mention  is  made  of  the  votes  by  which  the  laws  of  the  Order 
have  been  evolved  and  perfected.  While  changes  may  be  made 
from  time  to  time,  it  is  probable  the  Constitution  which  follows 
will  remain  substantially  intact  for  many  great  suns,  and  fairly 
indicate  the  machinery  of  government  by  which  the  Order  is 
managed,  and  its  fraternal  and  benevolent  work  accomplished. 


542  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED   MEN. 


CONSTITUTION    OF    THE    GREAT    COUNCIL    OF    THE 
UNITED    STATES. 


ARTICLE  I. 
NAME,  AUTHORITY  AND  POWER. 

SEC.  I.  This  body  shall  be  known  by  the  name,  style  and  title  of  the  GREAT 
COUNCIL  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  THE  IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  RED 
MEN. 

SEC.  2.  The  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  is  the  source  of  all  true  and 
legitimate  authority  over  the  Order  wheresoever  established  ;  it  possesses,  as 
such,  supreme  and  absolute  power  and  jurisdiction :  — 

1.  To  establish,  regulate  and  control  the  forms,  ceremonies,  written  and 
unwritten  work  of  the  Order,  and  to  change,  alter  and  annul  the  same,  and 
to  provide  for  the  safe  keeping  and  uniform  teaching  and  dissemination  of 
the  same. 

2.  To  provide,  publish,  print   and  furnish   all   rituals,  forms,  ceremonies, 
cards,  odes,  charters,  charts  and  certificates. 

3.  To  prescribe  the  form,  material  and  color  of  all  regalia,  emblem,  jewels 
and  such  blanks  as  may  be  used  by  the  Order. 

4.  To  provide  for  the  emanation  and  distribution  of  all  passwords,  and  to 
regulate  the  mode  and  manner  of  using  the  same ;  and  generally  to  prescribe 
such  regulations  as  may  be  necessary  to  secure  the  safe  and  easy  intercourse 
and  identification  of  members. 

5.  To  establish  'the  Order  in  States,  Districts,  Territories,  Provinces  or 
countries  where  the  same  has  not  been  established. 

6.  To  provide  a  revenue  for  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  by 
means  of  a  per  capita  tax  upon  the  membership,  either  from  Great  Councils 
or  Tribes  under  its  immediate  jurisdiction,  and  the  sale  of  supplies  furnished 
by  it. 

7.  To  provide  for  returns  from  Great  Councils,  Tribes  and  other  branches 
under  its  jurisdiction. 

8.  To   hear  and   determine  all   appeals  from  Great  Councils  and  Tribes, 
when  the  same  are  legally  brought  before  it,  and  to  provide  for  legislation  for 
the  enforcement  of  all  its  decrees  and  decisions. 

9.  To  enact  laws  and  regulations  of  general  application  to  carry  into  effect 
the  foregoing,  and  all  other  powers  reserved  by  this  Constitution  to  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States  or  its  Great  Chiefs,  and  such  as  may  be  neces- 
sary to  enforce  its  legitimate  authority  over  the  Order. 

10.  All  power  and  authority  in  the  Order  not  delegated  to  Great  Councils, 
Tribes  and  Councils  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas,  by  their  charters,  or  the 


LEGISLATION,   CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC,  543 

general  laws  or  rules  and  decisions  of  this  Great  Council,  are  reserved  to  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States. 


ARTICLE  II. 
How  COMPOSED. 

SEC.  i.  The  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  shall  be  composed  of:  — 

1.  All  Past  Great  Incohonees  and  Past  Great  Sachems. 

2.  The  elective  Chiefs  of  the  Great  Council. 

3.  The  Representatives  of  State  Great  Councils. 

SEC.  2.  A  Great  Council  in  hunting  grounds  containing  less  than  one 
thousand  members  shall  be  entitled  to  one  representative ;  over  one  thousand 
and  less  than  two  thousand,  two  representatives ;  over  two  thousand  and  less 
than  three  thousand,  three  representatives ;  over  three  thousand  and  less 
than  four  thousand,  four  representatives ;  over  four  thousand,  and  less  than 
five  thousand,  five  representatives ;  over  five  thousand  and  less  than  six  thou- 
sand, six  representatives ;  over  six  thousand  and  less  than  seven  thousand, 
seven  representatives ;  over  seven  thousand  and  less  than  eight  thousand, 
eight  representatives  ;  and  all  reservations  having  over  eight  thousand  mem- 
bers, eight  representatives. 

SEC.  3.  Great  Representatives  must  be  Past  Sachems  in  good  standing  in 
their  Great  Councils.  They  shall  be  elected  at  the  same  time  and  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  Chiefs  of  their  Great  Councils,  and  shall  serve  for  two 
great  suns  from  the  first  sun  of  the  next  succeeding  Corn  moon ;  but  at  the 
first  election  by  a  Great  Council,  entitled  to  more  than  one  representative, 
one-half  the  number  to  which  it  is  entitled  shall  serve  for  one  great  sun  only. 

SEC.  4.  In  case  of  a  vacancy  in  the  representation  from  a  Great  Council 
from  death,  removal  or  other  cause,  the  Great  Sachem  thereof  may  appoint  a 
qualified  Past  Sachem  to  serve  for  one  great  sun.  Representatives  must  be 
residents  of  the  reservation  they  represent  during  the  entire  term  for  which 
they  are  elected,  and  removal  of  residence  from  their  reservations  shall 
operate  as  a  forfeiture  of  their  position. 

SEC.  5.  Representatives  and  Past  Great  Incohonees  alone  shall  be  entitled 
to  vote  upon  any  question  or  resolution  before  the  Great  Council. 

SEC.  6.  All  Past  Great  Sachems  whose  credentials  have  been  acknowl- 
edged by  the  Great  Council  shall  be  admitted  to  a  seat  and  entitled  to  all 
privileges,  except  that  of  voting  and  receiving  mileage  and  per  diem. 

SEC.  7.  No  one  shall  be  eligible  to  any  chieftaincy  unless  he  has  been  duly 
admitted  to  the  Great  Council  and  received  the  rank  of  Past  Great  Sachem. 

ARTICLE   III. 
CHIEFS  OF  GREAT  COUNCIL. 

SEC.  i.  The  Elective  Chiefs  of  this  Great  Council  shall  be  a  Great  Inco- 
honee,  Great  Senior  Sagamore,  Great  Junior  Sagamore,  Great  Prophet,  Great 


544 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 


Chief  of  Records  and  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  all  of  whom  shall  be  elected 
by  ballot  for  two  great  suns,  on  the  second  sun  of  the  great  sun's  council,  at 
the  third  run,  setting  of  the  sun. 

SEC.  2.  The  appointed  Great  Chiefs  shall  be  a  Great  Tocakon,  Great 
Minewa  and  a  Great  Guard  of  Forest,  all  of  whom  shall  be  appointed  by  the 
Great  Incohonee  at  the  time  of  his  raising  up. 

ARTICLE   IV. 
ELIGIBILITY  TO  CHIEFTAINCIES. 

No  brother  shall  be  eligible  to  the  chieftaincy  of  Great  Incohonee  unless 
he  shall  have  served  one  term  in  an  elective  chieftaincy.  No  one  shall  be 
eligible  to  the  chieftaincy  of  Great  Prophet  unless  he  is  a  Past  Great 
Incohonee. 

ARTICLE  V. 

GREAT  SUN  COUNCIL. 

SEC.  I.  The  great  sun  council  fire  shall  be  kindled  on  the  second  Tuesday 
of  Corn  moon,  at  the  ninth  run,  rising  of  the  sun,  at  such  place  as  the  Great 
Council  may  designate. 

SEC.  2.  The  place  of  kindling  the  council  fire  shall  be  determined  at  each 
great  sun  council  by  a  majority  of  those  entitled  to  vote ;  provided  that  the 
resolution  fixing  the  place  shall  have  been  read  on  two  separate  suns. 

ARTICLE  VI. 
QUORUM. 

Representatives  from  a  majority  of  State  Great  Councils  shall  be  necessary 
to  constitute  a  quorum  for  the  transaction  of  any  business,  except  the  admis- 
sion of  new  members  and  to  kindle  the  council  fire  and  quench  it  from  time 
to  time,  for  which  purposes  alone  less  than  said  majority  may  act. 

ARTICLE   VII. 
REVENUE. 

The  revenue  of  this  Great  Council  shall  be  the  proceeds  from  the  sale  of 
charters,  rituals,  cards,  odes,  diplomas,  and  such  other  printed  matter  as  the 
Great  Council  may  reserve  the  authority  to  furnish ;  also  fees  for  charters  for 
Great  Councils,  Councils  of  Degree  of  Pocahontas  and  Tribes,  and  such  tax 
as  may  be  adopted  by  this  Great  Council. 

ARTICLE   VIII. 
TRIBES,  MEMBERSHIP,  PRIVILEGES. 

SEC.  i.  Tribes  exist  by  virtue  of  charters  issued  by  the  Great  Council  of 
the  United  States,  or  those  granted  by  the  Great  Councils  of  reservations 
wherein  the  Tribes  are  located. 


LEGISLATION,    CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  545 

SEC.  2.  Great  Councils  shall  have  full  power  to  enact  general  laws  for  the 
government  of  Tribes  within  their  jurisdiction.  The  following  rules  shall  be 
incorporated  in  said  general  laws  :  — 

1 .  A  Tribe  shall  never  consist  of  less  than  seven  members,  and  shall  kindle 
its  council  fire  at  least  twice  a  moon.     Five  members  or  more,  including  one 
qualified  to  preside,  shall  constitute  a  quorum  for  the  transaction  of  business, 
and  if  a  quorum  only  be  present  no  wampum  shall  be  appropriated  (except 
for  benefits)  without  unanimous  consent. 

2.  The  Elective  Chiefs  of  a  Tribe  shall  be  a  Sachem,  Senior  Sagamore, 
Junior  Sagamore,  Prophet,  Chief  of  Records  and  Keeper  of  Wampum,  all  of 
whom  must  be  members  of  the  Chiefs  degree.     Great  Councils  may  provide 
for  a  Collector  of  Wampum,  who  also  must  be  a  member  of  the  Chief's  degree. 
The  Prophet  must  be  a  Past  Sachem.     The  appointed  Chiefs  shall  be  a  First 
and  Second  Sannap,  Guard  of  the  Wigwam,  Guard  of  the  Forest,  four  War- 
riors and  four  Braves. 

3.  The  raising  up  of  Chiefs  shall  take  place  on  the  first  council  sleep  of 
the  term,  unless   a   dispensation  has  been  granted  to  postpone  the  same. 
Tribes  may  have  their  Chiefs  raised  up  in  public,  provided  a  dispensation  has 
been  first  obtained. 

4.  All  vacancies  by  removal,  death,  suspension,  resignation  or  otherwise, 
shall  be  filled  by  election  or  appointment  as  the  case  may  be,  to  serve  the 
residue  of  the  term,  and  the  Chiefs  so  serving  shall  be  entitled  to  the  honors 
of  the  term. 

5.  No  person  shall  be  adopted  into  a  Tribe  of  the  Order  except  a  free  white 
male,  of  good  moral  character  and  standing,  of  the  full  age  of  twenty-one 
great  suns,  who  believes  in  the  existence  of  a  Great  Spirit,  the  Creator  and 
Preserver  of  the  Universe,  and  who  is  possessed  of  some  known  reputable 
means  of  support. 

6.  An  application  for  adoption  must  be  recommended  by  two  brothers  in 
good  standing,  and  accompanied  by  one-half  the  adoption  fee.     The  applica- 
tion shall  be  referred  to  a  committee  of  three,  who  shall  make  a  strict  investir 
gation  of  the  health,  character  and  qualifications  of  the  applicant,  and  report 
at  the  next  council. 

7.  Upon  the  report  of  the  committee  a  ballot  shall  be  taken,  and  if  two  or 
more  black  twigs  shall  have  been  deposited,  action  on  the  application  shall 
be  deferred  until  the  next  stated  council  of  the  Tribe,  when  another  ballot 
shall  be  had,  and  if  not  more  than  three  of  the  twigs  then  cast  are  black, 
the  candidate  shall   be   declared  elected.     If  rejected,  his  application  shall 
not  be  renewed  in  any  Tribe  of  the  Order  for  the  space  of  six  moons  there- 
after. 

8.  Brothers  desirous  of  advancing  shall  make  application  for  degrees  in 
open  council ;  the  application  shall  be  referred  to  the  Tribe  while  working  in 
the  degrees ;  a  ballot  shall  be  had  and  if  not  more  than  three  black  twigs  are 
cast  it  shall  be  granted.     If  rejected  the  application  cannot  be  renewed  for 
three  moons. 

9.  No  proposition  for  membership  shall  be  withdrawn  after  it  has  been 


546  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

referred  to  a  committee,  except  by  unanimous  consent,  and  in  all  cases  a 
.ballot  shall  be  had  whether  the  report  be  favorable  or  unfavorable. 

10.  No  Tribe  shall  adopt  a  pale  face  resident  of  another  State  reservation 
unless  by  consent  of  the  Great  Sachem  of  such  reservation  ;  nor  confer  de- 
grees upon  a  member  of  another  Tribe,  except  by  permission,  under  seal,  of 
the  Tribe,  to  which  said  member  belongs. 

1 1 .  Any  -brother  of  the  Order  holding  a  withdrawal  card  desirous  of  becom- 
ing a  member  of  a  Tribe,  shall  make' application  as  in  case  of  a  pale  face, 
accompanying  his  application  with  his  withdrawal  card,  which  shall  be  referred 
to  a  committee  of  three,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  report  as  to  his  standing 
and  qualifications  at  a  stated  council,  when  a  ballot  shall  be  had,  as  in  case 
of  a  pale  face. 

12.  Application  for  a  withdrawal  card  shall  be  made  either  personally  or 
in  writing,  and  the  same  shall  be  granted,  provided  the  brother  is  clear  upon 
the  books  of  the  Tribe,  free  from  charges,  and  there  be  no  valid  objections. 

13.  Any  withdrawal  card  may  be  revoked  for  cause  by  the  Tribe  granting 
the  same,  and  when  so  revoked  the  person  holding  said  card  shall  be  subject 
to  the  Tribe  which  issued  the  same.     A  withdrawal  card  may  be  renewed  if 
lost  or  destroyed. 

14.  A  member  suspended  for  non-payment  of  dues,  desirous  of  joining  a 
Tribe  in  the  same  reservation,  after  one  great  sun's  suspension,  shall  be  en- 
titled to  receive,  and  the  Tribe  shall  grant,  upon  proper  application,  a  Dis- 
missal Certificate  upon  the  payment  of  not  less  than  one  fathom  nor  more 
than  one  great  sun's  dues. 

15.  A  member  suspended  for  non-payment  of  dues,  wishing  to  regain 
membership  in  another  reservation,  shall  be  entitled  to  receive,  and  the  Tribe 
shall  grant,  upon  proper  application,  a  Dismissal  Certificate  upon  the  receipt 
of  not  less  than  one  fathom  nor  more  than  one  great  sun's  dues. 

1 6.  In  all  cases  wherein  a  Tribe  has  refused  to  reinstate  a  member  sus- 
pended for  non-payment  of  dues,   he  shall  be  entitled  to  receive,  and  the 
Tribe  shall,  upon  proper  application,  grant  a  Dismissal  Certificate  upon  the 
receipt  of  one  fathom. 

17.  Dismissal  Certificates  may  be  received  upon   deposit    in  any  Tribe, 
under  the  same  laws  as  withdrawal  cards,  but  the  privilege  of  visiting  shall 
not  be  awarded  to  the  holder  of  a  Dismissal  Certificate. 

1 8.  Tribes  shall  provide  for  carrying  into  effect  the  beneficial  character  of 
the  Order,  by   enacting  laws  for  the  payment  of  seven  suns1  and   funeral 
benefits. 

19.  Trials,  charges  and  penalties  against  Great  Councils,  Tribes  and  mem- 
bers of  either  of  the  said  bodies,  shall  be  governed  by  the  code  of  procedure 
as  adopted  by  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States. 

20.  Each  Tribe  shall  have  a  seal  with  appropriate  device,  which  shall  be 
affixed  to  all  official  documents  emanating  therefrom. 

21.  A  brother  shall  at  all  times  be  allowed  to  visit  and  attend  the  council 
of  any  Tribe  under  the  jurisdiction  of  any  Great  Council,  in  conformity  with 
the  Ritual,  provided  he  is  legally  in  possession  of  the  Universal  Password. 


LEGISLATION,    CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  547 

22.  Whenever  a  brother  in  good  standing  has  lost  his  membership  by  rea- 
son of  the  dissolution  of  his  Tribe,  and  he  is  refused  membership  in  any 
Tribe  by  reason  of  age,  then  said  member,  upon  payment  of  the  indebtedness 
charged  against  him  on  the  books  of  said  defunct  Tribe,  shall  be  considered 
a  member  at  large,  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  wherein  he 
resides,  and  under  such  regulations  as  to  seven  suns'  dues  and  otherwise  as 
said  Great  Council  may   adopt,  and  shall   receive   the   universal   password ; 
which  will  admit  him  into  any  Tribe  throughout  the  great  reservation ;  and 
if  a  Past  Sachem  he  shall  be  entitled  to  attend  the  councils  of  the  Great 
Council  on  presenting  a  certificate,  signed  by  the  Great  Sachem  and  the  Great 
Chief  of  Records,  that  he  has  paid  the  sum  laid  down  in  the  laws  governing 
cases  of  this  kind. 

23.  When  the  council  sleep  of  any  Tribe,  Council  of  the  Degree  of  Poca- 
hontas  or  other  body  under  the  jurisdiction  of  this  Great  Council  or  the  Great 
Council  of  any  reservation,  shall  fall  upon  a  legal  holiday,  said  council  may 
be  dispensed  with  without  dispensation ;  provided,  that  should  the  holiday 
fall  upon  the  sleep  of  election,  said  election  shall  take  place  at  the  regular 
council  preceding  such  holiday. 

ARTICLE   IX. 
FORFEITURE  OF  CHARTERS. 

Any  Great  Council,  Tribe,  or  Council  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas  may 
be  suspended  or  dissolved,  and  its  charter  or  dispensation  forfeited  to  and 
reclaimed  by  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  or  the  proper  Great 
Council :  — 

1.  For  improper  conduct. 

2.  For  neglecting  or  refusing  to  conform  to  the  Constitution,  laws  and  en- 
actments of  this  Great  Council  or  the  Great  Council  to  which  it  is  subordinate, 
or  the  general  laws  and  regulations  of  the  Order. 

3.  For  neglecting  or  refusing  to  make  its  returns,  or  for  non-payment  of 
dues  or  taxes. 

4.  For  neglecting  to  hold  regular  councils  as  provided  by  law,  unless  pre- 
vented by  unforeseen  circumstances. 

5.  By  its  membership  decreasing,  so  that  it  is  left  without  a  quorum. 

But  the  charter  or  dispensation  shall  not  be  forfeited  in  either  of  the  above 
cases  until  due  notification  of  the  offence  by  the  proper  Great  Chiefs,  under 
seal,  and  a  suitable  opportunity  has  been  given  to  answer  the  charges. 

ARTICLE   X. 
DUTIES  OF  GREAT  CHIEFS. 

SEC.  i .  The  Great  Prophet  shall  perform  all  the  duties  prescribed  in  the 
ceremonies. 

SEC.  2.  The  Great  Incohonee  shall  preside  at  all  councils  of  the  Great 
Council,  preserve  order  and  enforce  the  laws  thereof;  have  a  watchful  super- 


548  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

vision  over  all  branches  of  the  Order,  and  see  that  all  Constitutional  enact- 
ments, rules  and  regulations  of  the  Great  Council  are  observed. 

Among  his  special  prerogatives  are  the  following :  — 

To  call  special  councils  of  the  Great  Council. 

To  appoint  all  committees  not  otherwise  provided  for,  to  visit  any  Great 
Council  or  branch  of  the  Order,  and  to  give  such  instruction  as  the  good  of 
the  Order  may  require,  always  adhering  to  the  usages  of  the  Order. 

He  shall  have  general  supervision  of  the  Order,  and  grant  such  dispensa- 
tions as  he  may  deem  for  its  interest,  also  grant  dispensations  for  the  kindling 
of  council  fires  of  Great  Councils  and  other  branches  of  the  Order. 

He  shall  appoint  and  commission  Deputy  Great  Incohonees  as  may  be 
required  in  States,  Territories  or  Countries  where  Great  Councils  do  not 
exist. 

He  may  hear  and  decide  such  appeals  and  questions  of  law  as  may  be 
submitted  to  him  by  Great  Councils  or  their  Great  Chiefs,  and  Tribes  under 
the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council,  or  their  chiefs,  and  such 
decisions  shall  be  binding  until  fully  passed  upon  or  reversed  by  the  Great 
Council. 

He  shall,  at  every  great  sun  council,  present  a  printed  report  of  all  his 
official  acts  and  decisions  during  the  interim,  with  such  recommendations  as 
he  may  deem  for  the  advancement  of  the  Order. 

He  shall  have  exclusive  right  to  create  and  promulgate  all  passwords,  and 
to  rescind  and  change  the  same  if  circumstances  require. 

SEC.  3.  The  Great  Senior  Sagamore  shall  assist  the  Great  Incohonee  in 
kindling  and  quenching  the  council  fire;  advise,  assist  and  support  him  in 
preserving  order,  and  preside  in  his  absence.  In  case  of  the  death,  resigna- 
tion or  disqualification  of  the  Great  Incohonee,  he  shall  be  invested  with  all 
his  authority  and  power. 

SEC.  4.  The  Great  Junior  Sagamore  shall  have  charge  of  the  wicket,  and 
perform  such  other  duties  as  the  nature  of  his  chieftaincy  may  require.  In 
case  of  the  death,  resignation  or  disqualification  of  the  Great  Senior  Saga- 
more, he  shall  be  invested  with  all  his  authority  and  power. 

SEC.  5.  The  Great  Chief  of  Records  shall  keep  a  just  and  true  record  of 
all  the  proceedings  of  this  Great  Council.  When  the  same  have  been  printed 
he  shall  transmit  to  each  Great  Council  as  many  copies  as  it  may  have  Past 
Great  Sachems,  Great  Chiefs  and  branches  of  the  Order  under  its  jurisdiction. 
Also  one  to  each  branch  under  the  immediate  control  of  this  Great  Council. 
Also  one  to  each  Great  Chief,  member  and  Representative.  He  shall  collect 
all  the  revenues  of  the  Great  Council  and  pay  the  same  over  to  the  Great 
Keeper  of  Wampum  on  or  about  the  first  of  every  moon,  taking  a  receipt 
therefor.  He  shall  preserve  and  keep  the  evidence  of  the  unwritten  work  and 
such  alterations  as  may  from  time  to  time  be  made  therein,  and  all  other 
records  of  secret  councils.  He  shall  prepare  all  charters  for  Great  Councils 
and  other  branches  that  are  granted  by  the  Great  Council,  notify  all  Great 
Councils,  Chiefs  and  members  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  of 
all  councils  of  this  Great  Council ;  carry  on  all  the  necessary  correspondence, 


LEGISLATION,   CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  549 

attest  all  official  documents,  and  perform  such  other  duties  as  this  Great  Coun- 
cil may  from  time  to  time  direct.  He  shall  make  out  and  have  printed  an 
alphabetical  roll  of  the  Great  Chiefs  and  Representatives  and  call  the  same  at 
the  kindling  of  each  council  fire,  and  the  names  of  those  present,  including 
Past  Great  Incohonees  and  Past  Great  Sachems  who  are  not  Representatives, 
shall  be  entered  upon  the  record.  He  shall  submit  to  the  Great  Council  at 
each  council  a  printed  report  of  his  accounts,  together  with  the  standing  of 
the  Order.  He  shall  receive  for  his  services  such  sum  (not  less  than  sixteen 
hundred  fathoms  per  great  sun)  as  the  Great  Council  may  fix  at  the  time 
of  his  election.  He  shall  give  security,  satisfactory  to  the  Committee  on 
Finance,  in  the  sum  of  three  thousand  fathoms  of  wampum.  He  shall  also 
have  charge  of  the  Beneficiary  Fund  of  the  Order,  issue  certificates  and  con- 
duct all  the  correspondence. 

SEC.  6.  The  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum  shall  pay  all  orders  drawn  on  him 
by  the  Great  Incohonee,  attested  by  the  Great  Chief  of  Records.  He  shall, 
at  the  great  sun's  council,  present  a  printed  report  of  his  receipts  and  dis- 
bursements. For  the  faithful  performance  of  his  duties,  he  shall  give  a  bond, 
satisfactory  to  the  Committee  on  Finance,  in  the  sum  of  not  less  than  five 
thousand  fathoms  of  wampum. 

SEC.  7.  The  Great  Tocakon,  Great  Minewa  and  the  Great  Guard  of  Forest 
shall  perform  such  duties  as  are  defined  by  the  charge  books,  and  such  as 
may  be  assigned  them  by  the  Great  Council. 

ARTICLE   XI. 
COMMITTEES. 

SEC.  i.  Immediately  after  the  raising  up  of  the  Great  Incohonee  he  shall 
appoint  a  Committee  on  Finance  and  a  Committee  on  Constitution  and  Laws, 
to  consist  of  three  members  each,  to  serve  during  his  chieftaincy. 

As  soon  as  the  council  fire  of  each  Great  Council  is  kindled  he  shall  ap- 
point a  Committee  on  Credentials  to  consist  of  three  members,  and  immedi- 
ately after  the  reading  of  the  long  talks,  the  following  committees,  to  consist 
of  seven  members  each,  viz. :  — 

Distribution  of  Long  Talks,  State  of  the  Order,  Judiciary,  Appeals  and 
Grievances,  Charters,  Reports,  Mileage  and  Per  Diem,  Beneficiary,  and 
Degree  of  Pocahontas. 

ARTICLE   XII. 
GREAT  COUNCILS. 

SEC.  i.  By  virtue  of  authority  from  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States, 
Great  Councils  may  be  established  in  States,  Districts,  Territories  or  the 
Dominion  of  Canada.  They  shall  be  governed  by  their  charters,  the  Con- 
stitution and  By-Laws  of  this  Great  Council,  the  General  Laws  adopted  for 
their  government  and  such  laws  as  they  may  adopt  in  accordance  with  the 
same. 

SEC.  2.    Great  Councils  shall  have  full  authority  and  control  over  all  Tribes 


550  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEtf. 

and  other  branches  of  the  Order  in  their  reservation,  subject  to  the  laws  of 
this  Great  Council.  They  shall  enforce  a  strict  adherence  to  the  forms, 
ceremonies,  style  of  regalia,  jewels,  charges,  blanks  and  other  supplies  fur- 
nished by  this  Great  Council,  and  shall  be  responsible  for  any  violation  they 
may  sanction  or  allow,  and  no  Tribe  or  Council  can  legally  exist  within  their 
reservations  without  their  sanction  and  authority. 

SEC.  3.  Great  Councils  shall  be  composed  of  Past  Sachems,  but  Great 
Councils  may  provide  for  a  representative  system,  and  may  limit  Tribes  under 
their  jurisdiction  to  one  representative. 

'ARTICLE  xm. 

GRANTING  CHARTERS. 

SEC.  i .  Five  or  more  Tribes  in  any  State,  District,  Territory  or  the 
Dominion  of  Canada,  having  not  less  than  fifteen  Past  Sachems  and  a  mem- 
bership of  not  less  than  five  hundred,  may  petition  the  Great  Council  or 
Great  Incohonee  praying  for  a  charter  for  a  Great  Council  therein.  Should 
the  majority  of  the  representatives  vote  in  favor  of  the  same  it  shall  be  granted, 
and  the  Great  Incohonee,  or  a  Past  Sachem  deputized  by  him,  shall  kindle 
the  council  fire  of  said  Great  Council.  The  petition  shall  be  in  the  following 
form :  — 

To  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  :  — 

The  past  Sachems  of  the  undersigned  Tribes  represent  that  they  are  work- 
ing under  charters  granted  by  the  Great  Council  of  ,  that  the 
Order  has  increased  so  that  the  membership  is  at  present  ,  and  wre 
have  Past  Sachems  in  good  standing.  We  believe  that  it  would 
be  of  advantage  to  the  Order  if  a  Great  Council  was  established  in  our  reser- 
vation. We,  therefore,  pray  that  you  grant  the  prayer  of  our  petition. 

Witness  our  hands  and  the  Seal  of  the  Tribes  this  Sun  of 

Moon,  G.  S.  D. 

The  same  is  to  be  signed  by  the  Sachem  and  Chief  of  Records  of  each 
Tribe,  and  the  Seal  thereof  to  be  attached. 

SEC.  2.  Should  the  application  as  aforesaid  be  made  to  the  Great  Inco- 
honee prior  to  the  first  sun  of  Sturgeon  moon,  he  may,  by  and  with  the  con- 
sent of  the  elective  Great  Chiefs,  grant  a  dispensation  for  the  same,  and 
institute  the  Great  Council. 

As  soon  as  a  Great  Council  has  been  organized,  all  tribes  located  in  its 
reservation  shall  thereafter  be  under  the  jurisdiction  of  said  Great  Council. 

SEC.  3.  In  reservations  where  there  are  no  Great  Councils,  persons  desir- 
ous of  kindling  a  council  fire  of  a  Tribe  therein  shall  present  an  application 
signed  by  not  less  than  thirty  brothers  or  palefaces,  accompanied  by  the 
charter  fee  and  the  cards  of  the  brothers.  If  the  application  is  received  by 
the  Incohonee  during  the  interim,  the  Great  Incohonee  may,  by  and  with 
the  advicj  of  the  Great  Chiefs,  grant  a  dispensation  and  institute  the  Tribe. 


LEGISLATION,   CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  551 

SEC.  4.  All  traveling  or  other  expenses  of  the  Great  Incohonee,  or  his 
deputy,  incurred  in  lighting  the  council  fire  of  a  Great  Council  or  Tribe,  shall 
be  paid  by  such  Great  Council  or  Tribe. 

(Sections  3  and  4  shall  also  apply  to  Councils  of  D.  of  P.,  except  as  to  fee 
and  number  on  petition.) 

ARTICLE    XIV. 
REGALIA,  FORMS  AND  CEREMONIES,  HOW  ALTERED. 

The  regalia,  jewels,  forms,  ceremonies  or  other  private  work,  written  or 
unwritten,  shall  not  be  altered  or  amended  unless  the  proposed  change  be 
submitted  in  writing,  and  after  being  twice  read,  on  different  suns,  be  adopted 
by  the  vote  of  three-fourths  of  the  members  present  entitled  to  vote. 

ARTICLE   XV. 
TRAVELING  CARD  OR  CERTIFIED  RECEIPT. 

Traveling  cards,  or  certified  receipts,  for  the  use  of  members,  may  be  used 
or  recognized  only  when  procured  from  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States,  and  they  are  in  accordance  with  the  form  adopted.  They  are  for 
special  use  and  must  be  obtained  through  State  Great  Councils. 

A  traveling  card  shall  be  prima  facie  evidence  of  the  good  standing  of  the 
brother  to  whom  issued.  Upon  the  back 'thereof  shall  be  placed  the  amount 
for  seven  suns,  and  funeral  benefits  allowed  by  the  Tribe  issuing  it. 

A  certified  receipt  shall  be  prima  fade  evidence  of  the  payment  of  dues 
by  the  brother  to  whom  issued.  Upon  the  back  thereof  may  be  printed  a 
request  for  communicating  to  the  brother  the  Universal  Password. 

ARTICLE  XVI. 
TERMS. 

A  term  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  shall  be  two  great  suns ; 
of  Tribes  and  Councils  working  under  its  immediate  jurisdiction  six  moons; 
of  Great  Councils  one  great  sun,  and  Tribes  or  Cpuncils  under  their  control 
six  moons ;  but  State  Great  Councils  may  provide  that  the  term  of  its  Tribes 
or  Councils  may  be  one  great  sun. 

ARTICLE   XVII. 
APPEALS. 

SEC.  i.  All  appeals  taken  from  the  action  of  a  Great  Council,  or  a  Tribe 
working  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  this  Great  Council,  to  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States,  as  hereinafter  provided  for,  shall  be  received 
and  passed  upon  as  a  last  resort ;  but  in  all  cases  the  action  or  decision  of  a 
Great  Council  or  the  Tribe  shall  be  final  and  conclusive  until  reversed  by  this 
Great  Council,  except  where  the  sentence  involves  explusion  from  the  Order. 

SEC.  2.  An  appeal  may  be  taken  from  the  action  or  decision  of  a  Tribe 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  this  Great  Council  to  this  body  by  any  member  or 
person  who  thinks  his  rights  have  been  denied  by  such  decision  or  action, 


552  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

upon  giving  written  notice  and  filing  an  appeal  within  one  moon  from  the  date 
of  said  action  of  appeal ;  and  provided,  that  a  copy  of  the  appeal  has  been 
placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Great  Incohonee,  with  proof  that  the  Tribe  has 
received  due  notice. 

SEC.  3.  Members  or  Tribes  may  appeal  from  the  action  of  a  Great  Council 
provided  two  copies  of  the  appeal  have  been  presented,  mailed  or  sent  to  the 
Great  Sachem  not  less  than  twenty  suns  prior  to  the  kindling  of  the  council 
fire  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  and  the  great  Sachem  shall 
certify,  under  the  seal  of  his  Great  Council  (on  each  of  the  copies) ,  the  date 
that  he  received  the  appeal  and  forthwith  send  one  to  the  appellant,  who  shall 
immediately  send  it  to  the  Great  Incohonee,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  report 
its  reception  to  the  Great  Council.  All  appeals  from  the  action  of  a  Great 
Council  must  be  made  so  they  can  be  acted  upon  at  the  council  following  the 
decision  or  action  taken,  and  a  failure  to  do  so  shall  be  a  bar  to  all  further 
proceedings ;  provided,  the  council  of  said  State  Great  Council  is  not  held 
within  the  time  mentioned  above. 

ARTICLE  XVIII. 
PERMANENT  FUND. 

SEC.  i.  The  Permanent  Fund  shall  consist  of  such  sums  as  the  Great  Coun- 
cil may  from  time  to  time  appropriate,  donations  and  bequests  made  thereto, 
and  accumulations  of  interest.  The  principal  of  said  fund  shall  not  be  used, 
nor  shall  this  article  be  amended  or  repealed,  except  seven-eighths  of  those 
entitled  to  vote  agreed  thereto. 

SEC.  2.  When  in  the  judgment  of  the  Great  Council  a  sum  sufficient  for 
the  purpose  has  been  accumulated,  the  funds  shall  be  invested  in  such  a 
manner  as  the  Great  Council  may  then  provide,  in  a  Home  forever  dedicated 
to  the  widows  and  orphans  of  members  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

SEC.  3.  The  Great  Incohonee,  Great  Prophet,  Great  Senior  Sagamore, 
Great  Junior  Sagamore,  Great  Chief  of  Records  and  Great  Keeper  of  Wam- 
pum shall  constitute  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States.  They  shall  have  supervision  of  the  Permanent  Fund  of  the  Great 
Council  and  make  such  investments  as  they  may  deem  for  the  best  interests  of 
said  fund  until  final  investment  in  a  Home  as  above  provided.  They  shall 
make  a  report  thereon  at  each  great  sun  council. 

SEC.  4.  At  each  great  sun  council  the  Finance  Committee  shall  submit  a 
resolution  appropriating  not  less  than  one  hundred  fathoms,  w^hich  sum  shall 
be  placed  in  the  Permanent  Fund  already  created.  The  wampum  so  appro- 
priated shall  be  invested  by  the  Trustees  until  the  aggregate  amount  shall 
reach  the  sum  needed  for  the  purpose  of  the  Home  contemplated. 

ARTICLE   XIX. 
BY-LAWS,  GENERAL  LAWS  AND  AMENDMENTS. 

By-Laws  in  conformity  with  this  Constitution  may  be  made.  Also,  General 
Laws  for  the  government  of  Great  Councils,  and  laws  for  the  government  of 
Tribes  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  this  Great  Council. 


LEGISLATION,    CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  553 

This  Constitution  shall  not  be  altered,  amended  or  repealed,  unless  the 
proposition  for  that  purpose  be  presented  in  writing,  signed  by  representa- 
tives of  three  Great  Councils,  and  lie  over  for  one  great  sun  and  then  receive 
the  assent  of  two-thirds  of  those  present  and  entitled  to  vote ;  provided, 
action  upon  a  proposition  to  amend  any  of  the  laws  may  be  taken  at  the  same 
council  at  which  it  is  submitted,  if  seven-eighths  agree  to  the  same. 

BY-LAWS  OF   GREAT  COUNCIL. 

ARTICLE  I. 

ADMISSION. 

SEC.  i.  Before  the  admission  of  a  Past  Great  Sachem  a  certificate  must  be 
received,  certifying  that  he  has  duly  served  as  Great  Sachem  of  a  Great 
Council,  or  as  the  first  Great  Prophet,  or  five  great  suns  as  Great  Chief  of 
Records  or  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  and  that  he  is  in  good  standing  in  his 
Tribe. 

SEC.  2.  Before  a  member  can  be  acknowledged  as  a  representative  the 
following  certificate  must  be  received  :  — 

Wigwam  of  Great  Council  of Imp.  O.  R.  M.     This  is  to  certify  that 

at  an  election  held  by  the  Great  Council  of  Brsther  was 

elected  to  represent  the  Great  Council  of  in  the  Great  Council  of 

the  United    States  for  great  suns,  from  the  second   Tuesday  in  Corn 

moon  next. 

Witness  our  hand  and  the  Seal  of  our  Great  Council,  the  sun 

moon,  G.  S.  D. 

Great  Sachem. 

[L.S.]  Great  C.  of  R. 

Each  representative  shall  be  presented  with  a  duplicate  of  the  above  cre- 
dential, and  either  the  original  or  duplicate  shall  be  referred  to  the  Commit- 
tee on  Credentials,  who  shall  report  thereon  as  soon  as  practicable. 

A  representative  to  fill  a  vacancy  must  present  a  credential  giving  the  name 
of  the  representative  in  whose  place  he  is  appointed  or  elected,  and  stating 
the  cause  of  such  vacancy. 

SEC.  3.  In  the  case  of  a  contested  election,  or  a  protest  against  the  admis- 
sion of  a  representative,  a  committee  of  five  shall  be  appointed,  neither  of 
whom  shall  be  members  of  the  Great  Council  from  which  the  contest  or 
protest  originates.  They  shall,  without  delay,  examine  all  evidence  produced 
by  either  side,  and  report  the  facts  to  the  Great  Council,  with  such  recom- 
mendation as  they  may  deem  just ;  provided,  that  in  all  cases  of  a  contest  or 
a  protest,  the  parties  contesting  or  protesting  shall  file  a  copy  of  the  same 
with  the  Great  Sachem  of  the  reservation  from  which  the  brothers  hail,  at 
least  ten  suns  prior  to  the  great  sun's  council  of  this  Great  Council. 

SEC.  4.  Past  Representatives  who  are  members  of  the  Order  in  good 
standing  shall  be  entitled  to  admission  as  visitors,  but  shall  not  be  allowed  to 
participate  in  any  business  before  the  Great  Council. 


554  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

ARTICLE  II. 
ELECTION  AND  RAISING  UP  OF  GREAT  CHIEFS. 

SEC.  I.  In  the  election  of  Great  Chiefs  a  majority  of  votes  cast  shall  be 
necessary  to  a  choice.  If  on  the  first  ballot  no  one  is  elected,  a  second  bal- 
lot shall  immediately  be  had,  and  if  no  choice  is  then  made  a  third  ballot 
shall  be  had.  when  only  the  two  who  received  the  highest  number  of  votes 
on  the  second  ballot  shall  be  eligible.  Blank  votes  shall  not  be  counted. 

SEC.  2.  The  Great  Chiefs  shall  be  raised  up.  and  enter  upon  their  duties  on 
the  last  sun  of  the  great  sun's  council,  immediately  preceding  the  quenching 
of  the  council  fire. 

SEC.  3.  Should  any  of  the  Great  Chiefs  elect  fail  to  be  present  at  the  run 
fixed  for  the  raising  up,  the  chieftaincy  may  be  declared  vacant,  and  the 
Great  Council  proceed  to  fill  the  vacancy ;  but  should  such  absence  be  caused 
by  sickness  or  other  cause  satisfactory  to  this  Great  Council,  then  he  shall 
be  raised  up  by  any  designated  Great  Chief  after  the  quenching  of  the  coun- 
cil fire,  and  the  fact  shall  be  certified  to,  and  entered  upon  the  records  of  this 
Great  Council. 

ARTICLE  III. 
COUNCILS. 

SEC.  i.  In  absence  of  the  Chiefs  authorized  to  preside,  the  senior  Past 
Great  Incohonee  present,  (not  a  Great  Chief),  shall  preside,  and  if  none  be 
present,  then  the  members  shall  by  vote  designate  a  member  to  preside. 

SEC.  2.  If  any  of  the  Great  Chiefs  are  temporarily  absent,  his  chieftaincy 
shall  be  filled  by  appointment  of  some  member  by  the  Great  Incohonee. 

ARTICLE  IV. 
DUTIES  OF  COMMITTEES. 

SEC.  i.  The  Committee  on  Finance  shall  examine  the  books,  vouchers, 
and  accounts  of  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  and  the  Great  Keeper  of  Wam- 
pum before  each  great  sun  council,  and  for  that  purpose  shall  meet  at  the 
office  of  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  at  least  four  suns  prior  to  the  council. 
They  shall  make  estimates  for,  and  recommend  appropriations  of  wampum, 
for  general  and  special  purposes  during  the  interim  of  the  councils,  based  on 
revenue  likely  to  be  received ;  and  no  expenditure  of  wampum  shall  be  made 
over  and  above  an  appropriation,  unless  the  same  has  received  the  approval 
of  the  Finance  Committee.  It  shall  be  their  duty  to  see  that  the  necessary 
bonds  have  been  entered  by  those  required  to  do  so  by  the  laws,  to  place  the 
same  in  the  hands  of  the  Great  Incohonee,  and  submit  their  report  at  each 
great  sun  council. 

SEC.  2.  The  Committee  on  Constitution  and  Laws  shall  examine  all  laws 
that  may  be  referred  to  them  during  the  interim  of  the  councils,  and  report 
as  to  their  action  on  the  same.  It  shall  be  their  duty  to  see  that  the  laws 
referred  to  them  do  not  conflict  with  the  laws  and  usages  of  the  Order. 


LEGISLATION,   CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  555 

SEC.  3.  The  Committee  on  Credentials  shall  examine  and  report  on  all 
credentials  that  may  be  referred  to  them. 

SEC.  4.  The  Committee  on  Distribution  shall  have  referred  to  them  the 
long  talks  of  the  Great  Chief  and  shall  examine  and  refer  the  subjects  treated 
in  the  talks  to  the  various  committees. 

SEC.  5.  To  the  Committee  on  the  State  of  the  Order  shall  be  referred  that 
portion  of  the  Great  Chiefs1  longtalks  that  relates  to  the  status  of  the  Order, 
and  in  their  report  they  shall  embody  the  condition  and  progress  that  the 
Order  has  made,  and  shall  recommend  such  measures  as  they  may  think 
advantageous  to  the  whole  Order. 

SEC.  6.  The  Committee  on  Judiciary  shall  consider  all  questions  of  a  proper 
construction  of  the  laws,  and  other  judicial  matters  that  may-be  referred  to 
them  by  the  Great  Council. 

SEC.  7.  The  Committee  on  Appeals  and  Grievances  shall  investigate  all 
appeals  and  other  matters  of  a  like  character  that  may  be  referred  to  them, 
and  report  to  the  Great  Council  their  decision  thereon,  with  such  recom- 
mendations as  they  think  the  evidence  warrants. 

SEC.  8.  The  Committee  on  Charters  shall  examine  and  report  on  all  peti- 
tions and  dispensations  issued  by  the  Great  Incohonee,  for  Tribes,  Councils 
of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas  or  Great  Councils,  and  report  as  to  the  advisa- 
bility of  granting  charters. 

SEC.  9.  The  Committee  on  Reports  shall  examine  and  report  as  to  the 
correctness  of  all  returns  and  reports  presented  by  Great  Councils  and  Tribes. 

SEC.  10.  The  Committee  on  Mileage  and  Per  Diem  shall  calculate  the 
number  of  miles  traveled  by  Great  Chiefs,  representatives  and  members  of 
the  Committee  on  Finance  present  at  each  great  sun  council ;  they  shall  also 
make  out  a  complete  and  correct  roll  of  the  same  and  report  the  amount  that 
each  is  entitled  to,  and  no  order  shall  be  drawn  until  the  report  is  approved 
by  this  Great  Council. 

SEC.  n.  The  Committee  on  Beneficiary  shall  examine  and  report  to  the 
Great  Council  all  matters  relating  to  the  Beneficiary  Fund  and  the  laws  gov- 
erning the  same,  and  such  subjects  relating  to  insurance  as  may  be  referred 
to  them. 

SEC.  12.  .The  Committee  on  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas  shall  have  referred 
to  them  all  matters  appertaining  to  said  branch  of  the  Order,  and  tbey  shall 
report  to  the  Great  Council  such  recommendations  as  they  may  deem  beneficial. 

SEC.  13.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  each  committee  or  member  of  this  Great 
Council  to  return  to  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  at  the  final  quenching  of  the 
council  fire  all  books  and  papers  belonging  to  this  Great  Council,  unless 
otherwise  ordered  by  this  Great  Council. 

ARTICLE   V. 
GREAT  SUN'S  REPORT. 

Each  Great  Council  shall  make  out  and  transmit  to  the  Great  Chief  of 
Records  on  or  before  the  first  of  Corn  moon  a  great  sun's  report  of  its  work, 


556  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

in  accordance  with  the  form  sent  or  delivered  to  it  by  the  Great  Chief  of 
Records.  This  report  shall  be  accompanied  by  the  per  capita  tax  due  this 
Great  Council.  Any  Great  Council  neglecting  to  forward  its  report  and  tax 
by  the  time  specified  herein  shall  forfeit  its  right  to  representation ;  provided 
this  penalty  may  be  remitted  by  unanimous  consent. 

ARTICLE   VI. 
Six  Mooxs1  REPORT. 

Tribes  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  this  Great  Council  shall,  within 
two  seven  suns  after  the  last  council  sleep  in  Hot  and  Hunting  moons,  trans- 
mit to  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  of  this  Great  Council  a  correct  report  of 
the  receipts  and  expenditures,  together  with  the  number  of  members,  names 
and  number  of  adoptions,  rejections,  suspensions  and  cause,  expulsions, 
admissions  and  withdrawals  by  card,  and  death ;  also  the  per  capita  tax 
due. 

ARTICLE   VII. 
REVENUE. 

SEC.  i.  The  charter  fee  for  Great  Councils  shall  be  thirty  fathoms.  For 
Tribes  and  Councils  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas,  fifteen  fathoms. 

SEC.  2.  Each  Great  Council  shall  pay  every  great  sun  a  per  capita  tax  of 
ten  inches  for  every  member  under  its  jurisdiction. 

SEC.  3.  Each  Tribe  under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  this  Great  Council 
shall  pay  a  per  capita  tax  of  ten  inches  for  every  member  on  its  books  at  the 
end  of  each  term. 

ARTICLE   VIII. 
DUTIES  OF  DEPUTY  GREAT  INCOHONEES. 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Deputy  Great  Incohonees  to  visit,  instruct  and 
raise  up  the  Chiefs  of  the  Tribes  under  their  charge,  and  prior  to  the  first  of 
Corn  moon  report  to  the  Great  Incohonee  their  condition,  and  such  sugges- 
tions as  they  may  deem  for  the  advantage  of  the  Order,  and  at  the  same  time, 
transmit  to  the  Great  Chief  of  Records  such  wampum  as  they  may  have 
received,  and  to  perform  such  other  duties  as  the  Great  Incohonee  may 
desire. 

ARTICLE   IX. 
MILEAGE  AND  PER  DIEM. 

The  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  shall  pay  Mileage  and  Per  Diem 
to  its  Great  Chiefs,  representatives,  and  members  of  the  Finance  Committee 
and  Committee  on  Constitution  and  Laws.  The  mileage  shall  be  at  the  rate 
of  five  inches  per  mile  circular,  to  be  computed  by  the  nearest  traveled  route, 
and  five  fathoms  per  sun  for  each  sun  in  attendance. 


LEGISLATION,   CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  557 

ARTICLE  X. 
REMOVAL  FROM  CHIEFTAINCY  AND  MEMBERSHIP. 

SEC.  i .  Any  Chief  or  member  of  this  Great  Council  may  be  removed  or 
expelled  from  membership  in  the  body  upon  a  charge  being  preferred  against 
him ;  said  charge  to  be  confined  to  a  violation  of  any  of  the  obligations  he 
may  have  taken,  the  laws  of  this  body,  or  for  any  improper  conduct  tending 
to  degrade  his  position  or  the  Order. 

SEC.  2.  Any  member  of  the  Great  Council  desiring  to  prefer  charges 
against  any  of  its  members  shall  file  said  charge,  with  specifications  in  tripli- 
cate, with  the  Great  Incohonee,  who  shall  immediately  submit  the  same  to 
the  Great  Council.  The  Great  Incohonee  shall  refer  such  charge  to  a  special 
committee  of  five;  if  said  charges  are  against  the  Great  Incohonee,  the  same 
shall  be  filed  with  the  Great  Chief  of  Records,  who  shall  submit  the  same  to 
the  Great  Council,  and  the  Great  Senior  Sagamore  shall  appoint  the  Commit- 
tee of  five,  and  shall  also  preside  during  the  time  the  charge  is  under  consid- 
eration by  the  Great  Council. 

SEC.  3.  A  copy  of  the  charge  or  charges  must  be  furnished  by  the  accuser 
at  least  ten  suns  prior  to  the  time  of  trial ;  provided  the  alleged  offense  or 
offenses  were  not  committed  during  the  councils  of  the  Great  Council,  or 
within  ten  suns  prior  thereto.  If  within  the  time  mentioned,  then  one  sun's 
notice  will  be  sufficient. 

SEC.  4.  The  Committee  shall  fully  investigate  the  charge  or  charges, 
report  the  result  of  such  investigation  to  the  Great  Council,  recommending 
such  punishment  as  they  may  deem  proper,  and  if  the  report  is  adopted  by  a 
vote  of  three-fourths  of  the  representatives  present,  it  shall  be  recorded  as  the 
judgment  of  the  Great  Council. 

SEC.  5.  Suspension  or  expulsion  from  a  Great  Council  or  a  Tribe  to  which 
a  Chief  or  member  of  this  Great  Council  belongs,  shall  operate  as  a  suspen- 
sion or  expulsion  from  chieftaincy  or  membership  in  this  Great  Council,  and 
the  vacancy  thereby  created  shall  be  filled  in  the  manner  prescribed  by  the 
laws. 

ARTICLE  XI. 

PRINTING  OF  RECORDS  AND  SUPPLIES  OF  THE  GREAT  COUNCIL. 

The  Great  Chief  of  Records  shall,  at  least  two  moons  prior  to  the  great 
sun's  council,  notify  members  of  the  Order  who  are  practical  printers  that 
estimates  will  be  received  on  or  before  the  first  of  Sturgeon  moon  for  printing 
the  records  and  all  other  printed  matter  needed  for  the  great  sun,  and  said 
bids  shall  be  opened  in  the  presence  of  the  Finance  Committee,  who  shall 
award  the  same  to  the  lowest  responsible  bidder. 

ARTICLE  XII. 
AMENDMENTS. 

No  alteration  or  amendments  to  these  By-Laws  shall  be  made  unless  pre- 
sented at  a  great  sun's  council  signed  by  representatives  from  three  Great 


558  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

Councils,  read  upon  three  separate  suns,  and  then  adopted  by  two-thirds  of 
the  representatives  present. 

ORDER  OF   BUSINESS. 

1.  At  the  run  fixed  therefor  the  Great  Incohonee  shall  take  his  station  and 
command  silence ;  have  the  wickets  secured,  the  wigwam  examined,  and  the 
council  fire  duly  kindled. 

2.  Roll  of  Chiefs. 

3.  Appointment  of  Committee  on  Credentials. 

4.  Credentials    of   Past   Great   Sachems   and   Representatives   read    and 
referred. 

5.  Admission  of  Representatives  and  Past  Great  Sachems. 

6.  Roll  of  Representatives. 

7.  The  record  of  last  council  fire  read  and  considered. 

8.  Long  Talks  of  Great  Incohonee  and  other  Chiefs. 

9.  The  names  of  Great  Councils  and  Tribes  called,  in  alphabetical  order, 
for  business  or  communications. 

10.  Reports  of  Committees. 

1 1 .  Deferred  business. 

12.  New  business. 

These  Rules  may  be  temporarily  dispensed  with  by  the  Great  Incohonee. 

RULES   OF  ORDER. 

1.  The  Great  Incohonee  may  speak  to  points  of  order  rising  for  that  pur- 
pose.    Before  putting  a  question  he  shall  ask  :  "  Is  the  Great  Council  ready 
for  the  question  ? "     If  no  brother  address   him  he  shall  rise  and  put  the 
question,  after  which  it  will  not  be  in  order  to  address  the  Great  Council 
upon  that  question. 

2.  No  brother  shall  be  permitted  to  vote  or  speak  unless  clothed  in  regalia 
according  to  his  rank  or  station. 

3.  Every  brother  when  he  rises  to  speak  shall  address  the  Great  Incohonee 
in  a  proper  manner,  and  no  brother  shall  pass  out  of  the  wigwam,  or  other- 
wise disturb  the  council,  except  to  call  to  order. 

4.  All  personalities  and  indecorous  language  or  reflection  upon  the  Great 
Council  or  its  members,  are  positively  prohibited. 

5.  No  brother  shall  speak  more  than  once  upon  the  same  question  until 
all  have  an  opportunity  so  to  do,  nor  more  than  twice  without  permission  from 
the  Great  Council. 

6.  If  a  brother,  while  speaking,  be  called  to  order  by  the  Great  Incohonee, 
he  shall  cease  speaking  and  take  his  seat  until  the  question  of  order  is  deter- 
mined and  permission  is  given  him  to  proceed. 

7.  Every  Chief  or  brother  shall  be  designated  by  his  proper  title,  according 
to  his  standing  in  the  Order. 

g.   When  a  question  is  before  the  Great  Council,  no  motion  shall  be  re- 


LEGISLATION,    CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  559 

ceived  except  for  the  previous  question,  to  lie  on  the  table,  to  postpone  in- 
definitely, or  to  a  limited  time  ;  to  divide,  to  commit  or  to  amend  ;  and  such 
motions  shall  severally  have  precedence  in  the  order  herein  arranged.  A 
motion  to  quench  the  council  fire  is  always  in  order. 

9.  The  Great  Council  may  resolve  itself  into  a  Committee  of  the  Whole 
upon  the  following  subjects  and  none  other :  For  the  consideration  of  the 
Constitution  and  Laws,  and  for  the  consideration  of  the  work  of  the  Order, 
written  and  unwritten. 

10.  Any  brother  who  voted  on  the  prevailing  side  can  call  for  the  recon- 
sideration of  a  vote  at  the  same  great  sun  council  in  which  it  was  passed,  and 
if  sustained  by  a  majority  of  the  votes  the  reconsideration  shall  be  carried. 

u.  If  two  or  more  brothers  rise  to  speak  at  the  same  time,  the  Great  Inco- 
honee  shall  decide  which  is  entitled  to  the  floor. 

12.  No  motion  shall  be  subject  to  debate  until  it  has  been  seconded  and 
stated  by  the  Great  Incohonee.     It  shall  be  reduced  to  writing  at  the  request 
of  any  brother. 

13.  On  the  call  of  three  brothers  a  majority  may  demand  the  previous 
question,  which  shall  always  be  put  in  this  form :  "  Shall  the  main  question 
be  now  put?"  and  until  it  is  decided,  shall  preclude  all  amendments  and  all 
further  debate.     If  the  main  question  be  ordered,  the  amendments  shall  be 
voted  upon  in  their  order  and  then  the  original  question. 

14.  The  Great  Incohonee  shall  pronounce  the  decision  of  the  Great  Coun- 
cil on  all  subjects ;  he  may  speak  on  points  of  order  in  preference  to  other 
brothers ;  decide  questions  of  order  without  debate,  subject  to  an  appeal  to 
the  Great  Council  by  any  two  brothers —  on  which  appeal  no  brother  shall 
speak  more  than  once. 

15.  A  motion  to  lie  on  the  table  shall  be  decided  without  debate. 

1 6.  When  a  question  is  postponed  indefinitely  it  shall  not  be  acted  on 
until  the  next  great  sun  council. 

17.  The  yeas  aad  nays  may  be  demanded  by  any  two  members,  and  shall  • 
be   entered  upon  the   record ;    and  every   representative   must  vote,  unless 
excused  by  a  majority  of  the  Great  Council. 

18.  All  questions  shall  be  decided  by  a  majority  vote,  except  in  cases  other- 
wise provided  for. 

GENERAL   LAWS 

FOR  THE    GOVERNMENT    OF    GREAT   COUNCILS   UNDER    THE    JURISDICTION   OF 
THE    GREAT    COUNCIL    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES,    IMPROVED    ORDER    OF 

RED   MEN. 

PREAMBLE. 

WHEREAS,  All  power  and  authority  enjoyed,  exercised  and  possessed  by 
the  several  Great  Councils  exist  only  by  virtue  of  their  charters  and  the  sanc- 
tion and  consent  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  duly  granted 
them ;  Therefore,  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  doth  adopt  and 
establish  the  following  Constitution  or  General  Laws  for  their  government :  — 


560  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

ARTICLE  I. 
NAME. 

This  body  shall  be  known  as  the  Great  Council  of of  the  Im- 
proved Order  of  Red  Men. 

ARTICLE   II. 
How  COMPOSED. 

This  Great  Council  shall  be  composed  of  Past  Sachems.  It  is  the  supreme 
tribunal  of  the  Order  in  the  State,  District,  Territory  or  country  in  which  it 
is  located,  and  no  Tribe  or  branch  of  the  Order  can  exist  therein  without  its 
sanction.  Every  member  shall  receive  the  Great  Council  degree  before  he 
can  take  his  seat.  The  Great  Council  shall  always  be  opened  in  that  degree 
for  the  introduction  of  representatives,  who  shall  be  Past  Sachems.  The 
Great  Council  may  establish  regulations  in  regard  to  representation  therein. 

ARTICLE   III. 

COUNCILS. 
This  Great  Council  shall  hold  one  council  every  great  sun. 

ARTICLE   IV. 
CHIEFS. 

SEC.  i.  The  elective  Chiefs  shall  be  Great  Sachem,  Great  Senior  Saga- 
more, Great  Junior  Sagamore,  Great  Prophet,  Great  Chief  of  Records  and 
Great  Keeper  of  Wampum. 

SEC.  2.  The  appointed  Chiefs  shall  be  Great  Sannap,  Great  Mishinewa, 
Great  Guard  of  Wigwam  and  Great  Guard  of  Forest. 

ARTICLE  V. 
ELIGIBILITY  AND  TERMS  OF  GREAT  CHIEFS. 

SEC.  i.  After  a  Great  Council  shall  have  been  instituted  two  great  suns 
no  brother  shall  be  eligible  to  the  chieftaincy  of  Great  Sachem  unless  he  has 
served  one  term  as  an  elective  Chief  of  a  Great  Council ;  nor  to  the  chieftaincy 
of  Great  Prophet  unless  he  has  served  in  the  chieftaincy  of  Great  Sachem. 

SEC.  2.  The  term  of  Great  Chiefs  shall  be  one  great  sun;  provided  that 
Great  Councils  may  enact  a  law  that  the  term  of  the  Great  Chief  of  Records 
and  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum  may  be  two  great  suns. 

ARTICLE  VI. 
HONORS. 

SEC.  i .  The  first  Prophet  of  a  Tribe,  or  the  first  Great  Prophet  of  a  Great 
Council,  shall  be  entitled  to  the  honors  of  a  Past  Sachem  or  a  Past  Great 
Sachem,  as  the  case  may  be  ;  to  entitle  them  to  said  honors  they  must  receive 


LEGISLATION,   CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  561 

a  dispensation  from  the  Great  Incohonee  or  Great  Sachem,  setting  forth  that 
they  have  served  in  said  chieftaincies. 

SEC.  2.  Any  Chief  of  Records,  Collector  of  Wampum  or  Keeper  of 
Wampum  of  any  Tribe,  having  served  five  great  suns  in  succession  as  such, 
shall  be  entitled  to  the  degree  of  Past  Sachem. 

SEC.  3.  Any  Great  Chief  of  Records  or  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum  of  any 
Great  Council,  having  served  five  great  suns  in  succession  as  such,  shall  be 
entitled  to  the  degree  of  Past  Great  Sachem. 

SEC.  4.  Great  Councils  may  adopt  laws  conferring  the  rank,  title,  rights 
and  privileges  of  a  Past  Sachem  upon  each  of  the  Chiefs  of  a  Tribe  elected  at 
the  institution  thereof;  provided  such  Chiefs  serve  to  the  end  of  the  term  for 
which  they  were  elected. 

ARTICLE   VII. 
ELECTION  OF  CHIEFS. 

The  Great  Chiefs  shall  be  elected  by  ballot,  at  such  time  and  in  such 
manner  as  the  By-Laws  of  the  Great  Council  may  prescribe. 

ARTICLE   VIII. 

FEES  FOR  ADOPTION  AND  DEGREES. 
This  Great  Council  may  establish  its  own  fees  for  Adoption  and  Degrees. 

ARTICLE   IX. 
APPLICATION  FOR  CHARTERS. 

SEC.  i .  Application  for  a  Tribal  Charter  must  be  signed  by  not  less  than 
twenty  brothers  or  pale  faces,  accompanied  by  a  fee  of  not  less  than  twenty 
fathoms.  If  the  application  be  made  during  the  interim  of  a  Great  Council, 
the  Great  Sachem  may,  by  and  with  the  consent  of  the  Great  Chiefs,  grant 
a  dispensation  to  light  the  council  brand,  if  deemed  for  the  interest  of  the 
Order,  the  petition  and  report  to  be  submitted  to  the  next  council  of  the  Great 
Council. 

FORM  OF  APPLICATION  FOR  CHARTER. 
To  the  Great  Council  of  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men :  — 

The  undersigned,  members  of  the  Order  (or  palefaces)  residing  in 
respectfully  petition  your  Great  Council  to  grant  them  a  charter  to  establish 
a  Tribe  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  to  be  located  in 
The  said  Tribe  to  be  known  as  Tribe  No.  of  the  Improved 

Order  of  Red  Men,  under  your  jurisdiction,  and  we  pledge  ourselves  to  be 
governed  by  the  laws  thereof. 
Signed, 

Enclosed  is  the  charter  fee. 

SEC.  2.  Application  for  a  charter  for  Council  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas 
must  be  signed  by  not  less  than  ten  brothers  of  the  Chiefs  Degree  and  ten 


562  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

females,  and  accompanied  by  a  fee  of  not  less  than  fifteen  fathoms,  and  acted 
upon  in  the  same  manner  as  an  application  for  a  Tribal  charter. 

SEC.  3.  Applications  for  charters  for  Degree  Councils  must  be  signed  by 
at  least  ten  brothers  of  the  Chiefs  Degree.  A  Degree  Council  may  be  bene- 
ficial, or  otherwise,  as  may  be  set  forth  by  the  petitioners.  It  may  admit 
brothers  to  membership  residing  anywhere  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Great  Council  by  which  it  has  been  chartered.  It  shall  not  confer  degrees 
upon  any  brother  unless  a  certificate  be  presented  from  his  Tribe  authorizing 
the  same. 

ARTICLE  X. 

BY-LAWS. 

The  Great  Council  has  full  power  to  enact  By-Laws  for  its  government, 
and  General  Laws  for  the  regulation  of  Tribes  and  Councils  of  Pocahontas 
under  its  jurisdiction.  Provided  they  do  not  conflict  with  the  Constitution 
and  By-Laws  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  and  these  general 
laws.  When  said  laws  are  adopted,  three  copies  thereof,  certified  by  the 
Great  Sachem  and  Great  Chief  of  Records,  shall  be  transmitted  to  the  Great 
Chief  of  Records  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  who  shall  imme- 
diately refer  them  to  the  Committee  on  Constitution  and  Laws,  upon  whose 
approval  they  shall  be  binding  upon  the  Great  Council. 

ARTICLE  XI. 
AMENDMENTS. 

Any  amendment,  alteration  or  addition  to  these  General  Laws  must  be 
proposed  in  writing  and  acted  upon  as  prescribed  in  Article  XIX  of  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States. 

CODE   OF   PROCEDURE. 

CHARGES   AGAINST   MEMBERS. 

SEC.  i.  Any  member  guilty  of  the  following  offences  would  be  amenable 
to  the  Tribe,  and  should  be  tried  and  punished  by  reprimand,  fine,  suspension 
or  expulsion :  — 

1.  Violation  of  the  obligations  he  has  taken  either  in  the   Adoption  or 
the  Degrees,  or  on  assuming  any  chieftaincy,  or  the  laws  of  the  Order. 

2.  Revealing  or  making  known  to  a  person  or  persons  who  are  not  at  the 
time  members  of  the  Order  any  of  the  secrets  or  the  workings  of  the  Tribe. 

3.  Making  false  statements  in  order  to  gain  admission  into  the  Order,  know- 
ing the  same  to  be  false ;  or  who  shall  knowingly  conceal  any  infirmity  or 
disease,  either  of  body  or  mind. 

4.  Using  improper  means  to  obtain  benefits. 

5.  Misappropriating  any  of  the  funds,  property  or  effects  of  a  Tribe  to 
his  own  use,  or  shall  wrongfully  divert  or  misappropriate   the  funds  of  the 
Tribe. 


LEGISLATION,   CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  563 

6.  Wilfully  refusing  to  appear  and  testify  or  give  his  deposition,  aftej  being 
duly  notified  by  the  Tribe. 

7.  Violating  the  criminal  laws  of  his  State. 

8.  Bringing  suit  in  any  of  the  civil  courts  of  his  State  against  his  Tribe, 
for  the  redress  of  any  grievance,  the  adjudication  of  which  is  provided  for 
within  the  Order  by  the  laws  thereof. 

9.  Using  any  of  the  emblems,  mottoes,  titles  or  initials  of  the  Order,  either 
as  a  Chief  or  member  directly  or  indirectly,  for  the  prosecution  of  any  private 
business  or  enterprise. 

SEC.  2.  No  member  can  be  put  on  trial  for  an  offense  unless  the  charge  or 
charges  be  reduced  to  writing,  signed  by  the  accuser  and  distinctly  specifying 
the  cause  or  causes  of  complaint,  and  the  time  and  place  of  occurrence,  a  copy 
of  which  shall  be  furnished  by  the  Chief  of  Records  before  the  next  council 
sleep.  At  the  first  council  sleep  after  the  charge  shall  have  been  preferred,  a 
committee  of  five  shall  be  selected  to  investigate  the  charge,  of  whom  one 
shall  be  appointed  by  the  Sachem,  one  by  the  Senior  Sagamore,  and  the 
remaining  three  shall  be  drawn  by  lot  from  among  the  members  present  (in 
good  standing),  in  the  manner  following,  to  wit:  The  twig  box  shall  be 
placed  immediately  in  front  of  the  Sachem,  and  a  number  of  ballots  equal  to 
all  the  members  present  entitled  to  serve  (less  the  two  members  of  the  com- 
mittee previously  appointed,  such  members  as  may  be  named  as  witnesses, 
and  the  accused  and  accuser),  shall  be  placed  therein.  Three  of  said  ballots 
shall  have  written  on  them  the  word  "Committee,"  the  rest  shall  be  blank. 
The  Chief  of  Records  shall  then  call  over  the  names  of  the  members  present 
(a  list  of  whom  shall  be  entered  on  the  records,  as  also  of  those  excused  by 
reason  of  being  witnesses),  and  each,  as  his  name  is  called,  shall  draw  a  ballot 
from  the  twig  box,  and  hand  the  same  to  the  Sachem,  who  shall  announce 
the  nature  of  the  ballot,  whether  blank  or  otherwise,  retaining  the  ballots 
until  the  drawing  is  over.  The  three  members  drawing  the  ballot  with  the 
word  "  Committee  "  thereon  shall,  with  the  brothers  before  appointed,  consti- 
tute the  committee. 

SEC.  3.  The  committee  shall  organize  on  the  sleep  of  its  appointment,  by 
the  election  of  a  chairman  and  secretary,  after  which,  with  as  little  delay  as 
possible,  the  secretary  shall  notify  the  accused  and  the  accuser  or  accusers,  of 
the  time  and  place  appointed  for  investigating  the  charges.  At  the  time  so 
appointed  the  committee  must  proceed  with  the  investigation,  even  though 
one  of  the  parties  be  absent,  unless  a  written  notice  be  received  stating  his 
inability  to  attend  by  reason  of  sickness,  no  other  reason  being  admissible. 
In  the  event  of  such  notice  being  received,  the  committee  shall  adjourn  to 
another  fixed  time,  of  which  both  parties  shall  have  notice.  This  adjourn- 
ment shall  not  extend  beyond  two  seven  suns,  at  which  time  the  committee 
shall  proceed  with  the  investigation.  Each  side  shall  have  the  right  to  be 
represented  before  the  committee  by  counsel,  who  must  be  members  of  the 
Order  in  good  standing. 

SEC.  4.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  committee  to  examine  the  parties,  their 
proof  and  witnesses.  The  committee  shall  keep  a  correct  record  of  the  pro- 


564  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

ceedings  and  shall  also  reduce  the  testimony  taken  to  writing,  to  be  signed  by 
the  witness  at  the  end  of  his  or  her  examination,  the  same  being  first  carefully 
read  over  to  them.  After  having  heard  the  evidence,  the  committee  shall 
reduce  its  opinion  as  to  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  the  accused,  on  each  charge 
and  specification,  to  writing  (to  be  plainly  written  in  ink),  and  report  the 
same,  together  with  the  journal  and  the  original  testimony,  to  the  Tribe  at  its 
earliest  stated  council  after  the  work  of  the  committee  is  completed. 

SEC.  5.  When  the  committee  submits  its  report,  the  accused  must  be 
notified  thereof  by  the  Chief  of  Records  under  seal,  and  direct  him  to  be 
present  at  the  next  stated  council,  at  which  time  the  report  must  be  con- 
sidered. If  the  report  is  approved  by  a  majority  of  the  members  voting,  it 
shall  be  recorded  as  the  judgment  of  the  Tribe.  The  Tribe  must  then  pre- 
scribe the  degree  of  punishment  to  be  imposed  in  accordance  with  the  law ; 
the  vote  thereon  must  be  by  ballot,  and  a  majority  of  the  votes  cast  shall 
decide,  except  for  expulsion,  when  the  assent  of  two-thirds  of  the  members 
voting  shall  be  necessary. 

SEC.  6.  When  a  motion  prescribing  the  punishment  is  before  the  Tribe, 
the  same  shall  be  considered  as  any  other  motion  and  be  subject  to  the  same 
rules ;  provided,  that  motions  and  amendments  relative  to  the  degree  of 
punishment  shall  be  treated  as  a  blank,  and  the  blank  shall  be  filled  by  voting 
upon  the  most  severe  punishment  first.  If  that  be  lost,  a  less  severe  punish- 
ment shall  be  voted  upon,  until  the  judgment  of  the  Tribe  is  declared.  As 
soon  as  the  Tribe  has  fixed  the  penalty,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Chief  of 
Records  to  notify  the  brother. 

SEC.  7.  A  brother  feeling  that  injustice  has  been  done  him  by  the  Tribe 
must  appeal  to  the  Great  Sachem  within  two  moons  trom  the  date  of  the 
notice  of  the  action  of  the  Tribe,  stating  distinctly  and  specifically  the  reason 
or  reasons  he  may  have  for  believing  the  wrong  has  been  done  him.  He 
shall  first,  however,  be  required  to  serve  a  copy  of  the  appeal  upon  the  Tribe, 
of  which  service  due  proof  shall  be  furnished  the  Great  Sachem.  As  soon  as 
the  Great  Sachem  has  received  an  appeal  in  proper  form,  he  shall,  within  one 
seven  suns,  notify  the  Tribe,  and  the  Chief  of  Records  shall  immediately 
deliver  to  the  Great  Sachem  the  journal  of  the  committee  by  whom  the  case 
was  tried,  together  with  the  testimony  taken  before  it,  and  copies  of  the 
records  of  all  the  council  sleeps  containing  matter  relating  thereto,  and  all 
papers  connected  therewith,  signed  by  the  Sachem  and  Chief  of  Records, 
under  seal.  Should  the  Tribe  neglect  or  refuse  to  comply  herewith,  it  shall 
be  sufficient  cause  for  its  suspension. 

SEC.  8.  The  Great  Sachem  shall  refer  all  documents  and  papers  to  such 
committee  as  the  laws  of  the  Great  Council  may  designate. 

SEC.  9.  When  the  member  of  one  Tribe  desires  to  prefer  a  charge  or 
charges  against  a  member  or  members  of  another  Tribe,  he  shall  present 
such  charge  or  charges  in  the  usual  form  to  the  Tribe  of  which  he  (the 
accuser)  is  a  member.  Said  Tribe  shall  forthwith  forward  to  the  Tribe  to 
which  the  accused  belongs  a  certified  copy  of  the  charge  or  charges  over  the 
signatures  of  the  Sachem  and  Chief  of  Records,  and  attested  by  the  seal  of 


LEGISLATION,   CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  565 

the  Tribe ;  and  the  Tribe  to  whom  such  charge  or  charges  shall  be  sent  shall 
proceed  to  hear  and  determine  the  same  in  like  manner  as  if  preferred  by  a 
member  of  its  own  body. 

SEC.  10.  A  Tribe,  upon  due  investigation  and  trial,  having  decided  that  a 
charge  or  charges  made  against  a  brother  have  not  been  sustained,  its  decision 
is  final.  The  brother  who  preferred  the  charges  cannot  appeal  from  the  de- 
cision of  the  Tribe. 

SEC.  ii.  A  member  expelled  from  the  Order  cannot  be  restored  to  mem- 
bership in  the  Tribe,  except  after  application  to  the  Tribe,  and  by  permission 
of  the  Great  Council  or  the  Board  of  Great  Council  Chiefs,  during  the  interim, 
and  the  vote  necessary  to  reinstate  him  is  the  same  vote  which  expelled  him 
from  membership. 

SEC.  12.  Should  any  person  feel  aggrieved  at  the  action  of  a  Tribe  for 
failing  to  pay  benefits  that  may  be  claimed  to  be  due,  such  person  must 
appeal  from  said  action  by  giving  the  Tribe  notice  thereof  within  twenty  suns 
after  said  Action,  whereupon  the  Sachem  shall  without  delay  appoint  a  suit- 
able member  of  the  Order  as  a  commissioner  to  take  such  testimony  as  either 
party  may  offer  in  relation  to  the  case. 

SEC.  13.  The  commissioner  shall,  within  twenty  suns,  proceed  to  take  the 
testimony,  giving  each  party  ten  suns1  notice  of  the  time  and  place  of  meet- 
ing for  that  purpose.  The  Sachem  shall  represent  the  Tribe,  and  may  also 
be'represented  by  counsel.  The  aggrieved  party  may  appear  in  person  and 
may  also  be  represented  by  counsel.  All  testimony  must  be  taken  down 
fully  by  the  commissoner  and  signed  by  the  witnesses  after  being  fully  read 
to  them,  and  should  objections  be  made  to  the  examination  of  any  witness, 
or  to  any  question,  or  to  any  testimony  offered,  he  shall  note  the  same,  and 
he  shall  give  ample  time  and  opportunity  to  both  parties  to  present  their 
witnesses,  and  for  them  to  testify.  All  testimony  shall  be  written  in  ink. 

SEC.  14.  After  taking  all  the  testimony  the  parties  may  offer,  the  com- 
missioner shall  immediately  report  to  the  Tribe,  whereupon  the  Chief  of 
Records  shall  notify  the  aggrieved  party  that  the  subject  will  be  considered 
at  the  next  council  of  the  Tribe,  at  which  time  the  Tribe  shall  consider  it, 
when  all  the  evidence  in  the  case  shall  be  read  and  the  claim  finally 
determined. 

SEC.  15.  After  final  action  shall  have  been  had  by  the  Tribe,  the  Chief 
of  Records  shall  immediately  notify  the  aggrieved  party  of  the  action  of  the 
Tribe.  If  the  Tribe  should  still  refuse  to  pay  the  benefits  claimed,  then  the 
aggrieved  party  must  appeal  to  the  Great  Council  at  any  time  within  twenty 
suns  from  the  date  of  the  notice,  by  filing  an  appeal  with  the  Tribe;  other- 
wise the  action  of  the  Tribe,  at  the  expiration  of  the  time,  will  be  final  and 
conclusive. 

SEC.  16.  When  an  appeal  has  been  filed  from  the  action  of  the  Tribe, 
the  Tribe  through  the  Chief  of  Records  shall,  without  delay,  transmit  the 
appeal  to  the  Great  Sachem,  together  with  the  testimony  taken  by  the  com- 
missioner, extracts  from  the  records  of  the  Tribe  of  all  proceedings,  and  all 
other  papers  and  documents  relating  to  the  case  which  were  offered  in  evi- 


566  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

dence  in  the  case  when  before  the  Tribe,  and  which  alone  shall  be  examined 
by  the  parties  authorized  by  the  laws  to  hear  appeals. 

SEC.  17.  Should  the  Tribe  neglect  or  refuse  to  appoint  a  commissioner 
within  two  seven  suns  after  receiving  notice  of  an  appeal,  or  shall  neglect  to 
send  the  appeal  and  papers  to  the  Great  Sachem  within  one  moon  after  the 
filing  of  the  appeal,  it  shall  be  sufficient  cause  for  the  Great  Sachem  to  re- 
verse the  action  of  the  Tribe,  and  direct  them  to  pay  the  benefits.  Provided, 
that  the  Tribe  would  have  the  right  to  appeal  to  the  Great  Council  from  the 
action  of  the  Great  Sachem.  Provided,  further,  that  the  amount  of  wampum 
claimed  shall  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum  until 
the  case  is  fully  settled. 

SEC.  1 8.  An  appeal  of  a  Tribe  from  the  action  of  a  Board  or  Committee 
on  Appeals  cannot  be  entertained  unless  the  Tribe  has  obeyed  the  mandate 
of  the  Great  Sachem  or  Great  Council,  or  the  amount  of  wampum  involved 
has  been  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Great  Keeper  of  Wampum,  the  same  to 
be  held  until  the  case  has  been  finally  settled  by  the  laws  of  the  Order. 

GENERAL   INSTRUCTIONS 

FOR   COMMISSIONERS   APPOINTED    BY  TRIBES    TO    TAKE  TESTIMONY. 

RULE  i.  A  commissioner  is  only  a  ministerial  officer.  He  has  no  power 
to  make  a  ruling.  His  duty  is  to  enter  in  his  journal  what  is  offered,  and 
leave  to  the  Tribe  and  to  the  authorized  committee  to  pass  upon  the  relevancy 
or  the  irrelevancy  of  what  is  offered. 

RULE  2.  The  commissioner  must  give  the  party  presenting  the  appeal  at 
least  ten  suns'  notice  in  writing  of  the  time  and  place  of  the  meeting. 

RULE  3.  The  party  presenting  the  appeal  shall,  at  the  time  and  place 
appointed  by  the  commissioner,  present  his  witnesses.  There  shall  be  no 
one  present  at  the  time  of  the  hearing  except  the  parties  and  the  one  witness 
under  examination  while  the  testimony  is  being  taken. 

RULE  4.  Counsel  representing  either  party  must  be  a  member  of  the 
Order,  in  good  standing,  and  shall  present  a  certificate  to  that  effect. 

RULE  5.  After  the  appellant  is  through  with  his  witnesses,  the  witnesses 
for  the  Tribe  shall  be  presented. 

RULE  6.  All  objections  made  to  the  testimony  of  witnesses  by  either  party 
must  be  noted  on  the  records  by  the  commissioner,  and  then  proceed  to  take 
down  the  testimony  as  if  no  objections  were  made. 

RULE  7.  New  evidence  may  be  introduced  after  the  case  has  been  closed 
on  either  side,  if  there  be  reasons  for  so  doing.  Such  new  evidence  need  not 
be  confined  to  that  which  is  merely  rebuttal.  The  tribunal  that  decides  the 
case  finally  must  exercise  its  discretion  as  to  the  evidence  thus  presented. 


LEGISLATION,   CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  567 

FORMS. 

The  following  forms  may  be  used,  when  circumstances  require ;   but  the 
form  is  not  imperative,  so  that  the  substance  is  clearly  set  forth :  — 

No.  i. 

CHARGES. 
Sun Moon,  G.  S.  D.  .  .  . 


To 

......  Tribe  No.   .  .  .  Imp.  O.  R.  M.     The  undersigned,  a  member  of 

Tribe,  No.  .  .  .  Imp.  O.  R.  M.,  under  the  jurisdiction  of 

the  Great  Council  of Imp.  O.  R.  M.,  hereby  charges  .... 

a  member  of Tribe,  No.  .  .  .  Imp.  O.  R.  M., 

with  having  been  guilty  of  conduct  unbecoming  a  Red  Man,  as  more  fully 
appears  in  the  following :  — 

SPECIFICATIONS. 


First 

Second     

Third 

Witnesses. 


Signature  of  Accuser. 


No.  2. 

NOTICE   TO   ACCUSED. 
....  Sun Moon,  G.  S.  D.  .  .  . 


To 

Brother : 

You  are  hereby  notified  that  at  a  stated  council  of Tribe, 

No.  .  .  .  Imp.  O.  R.  M.,  held  on  the  sleep  of sun  of 

moon,  G.S.D the  following  charges  w&re  preferred  against  you, 

to  wit : 

(Here  insert  copy  of  charges  in  full.) 
This  is  therefore  to  summon  you  to  be  and  appear  before  said  Tribe  on  the 

sleep  of sun moon,  at  the run,  G.  S.  D. 

at  which  time  the  committee  will  be  selected  to  try  said  charges. 

Fraternally  in  F.,  F.  and  C., 

[SEAL.]  Chief  of  Records. 


568  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

No.  3. 
FORM   OF   SUBPCENA   TO   ACCUSED. 

Sun G.  S.  D.  .  .  . 

To 

Sir  and  Brother: 

You  are  hereby  notified  that  on  the sun moon, 

G.  S.  D charges  preferred  against  you  were  referred  for  trial  to  the 

undersigned  committee. 

You  are  hereby  required  to  appear  before  said  committee  at 

on  the sun  of moon,  G.  S.  D 

at  the run,  to  make  answer  to  said  charges,  and  proceed  with  the 

trial  thereof. 


Committee. 
J 
Secretary. 


i 


No.  4. 

FORM   OF   SUBPCENA   TO   ACCUSER  OR   WITNESS. 

To 

Brother : 
You  are  hereby  required  to  attend,  under  penalty  of  our  laws,  before  a 

committee  of Tribe,  No.  .  .  .  Imp.  O.  R.  M.,  selected  to 

investigate  charges  against  Bro on  the 

sun  of moon,  G.  S.  D to  testify  in  said 

case.  Fraternally, 

Secretary  of  Committee. 
Sun Moon,  G.  S.  D.  .  .  . 


No.  5. 
REPORT   OF  COMMITTEE. 

Sun Moon,  G.  S.  D.  .  .  . 

Sachem,  Chiefs  and  members  of Tribe,  No.  .  .  .  Imp.  O.  R.  M. 

Sirs  and  Brothers : 

Your  committee  selected  to  try  charges  preferred  against  Brother  .... 
by  Brother report  that  the  accompanying  docu- 
ments contain  the  proceedings  of  and  the  evidence  taken  before  said  com- 
mittee. 

That,  from  all  that  appeared  to  said  committee  in  said  case,  they  find 
Brother as  to  the specifications  of  the  charge. 

Committee. 


LEGISLATION,   CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  569 

No.  6. 
NOTICE   TO   ACCUSED   AS   TO   REPORT. 

Tribe,  No.  ...  Imp.  O.  R.  M. 

.  Sun Moon,  G.  S.  D.  .  .   . 

To 

Sir  and  Brother : 
Take  notice  that  the  committee  selected  to  try  the  charges  preferred 

against  you  by  Brother have  filed  their  report,  and  the 

report  will  be  considered  at  the  next  stated  council  of  the  Tribe,  on  the  sleep 

of  the sun moon,  G.  S.  D.  .  .  . 

Yours  in  F.,  F.  and  C., 

[SEAL.]  Chief  of  Records. 


No.  7. 
FORM  OF  APPEAL  FROM  THE  ACTION  OF  A  TRIBE. 

Sun Moon,  G.  S.  D.  .  .  . 

To the  Great  Sachem  of  the  Great  Council  of 

Imp.  O.  R.  M. 

Sir  and  Brother : 

Your  petitioner  having  been  notified  that  he  has  been from 

Tribe,  No.  .  .  .  Imp.  O.  R.  M.,  and  feeling  that  injustice  has 

been  done,  would  respectfully  appeal  from  the  action  of  said 

Tribe,  No.  .  .  .  Imp.  O.  R.  M.,  for  the  following  reasons,  to  wit: 

ist.   That  the  decision  of  said Tribe,  No.  .  .  .  Imp.  O.  R.  M., 

is  contrary  to  the  laws  and  the  usages  of  the  Order. 

2d.   That  said  decision  is  contrary  to  and  against  the  evidence. 

3d.   Errors  of  law,  and  excepted  to  at  the  time  of  trial : 

(The  petitioner  must  state  the  errors  committed.)     Your  petitioner  would 

therefore  ask  that  said  decision  of  said Tribe,  No.  .  .  .  Imp. 

O.  R.  M.,  be  reversed,  and  that  he  may  be  restored  to  all  things  he  has  lost 
thereby.  (Signed  by  petitioner.) 

Two  must  be  made  out,  and  one  filed  with  the  Tribe,  in  accordance  with 
the  law. 


570  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

TRIBAL  CHARTERS. 

HOW  APPLIED   FOR,    ETC. 
Extract  from  Article  XIII,  Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S. 

Sec.  4.  Application  for  a  Charter  for  a  Tribe  must  be  made  by  at  least 
thirty  brothers  or  pale  faces,  accompanied  by  the  charter  fee  and  the  cards  of 
the  brothers.  If  application  be  made  during  the  interim  of  this  Great 
Council,  the  Great  Incohenee  may,  by  and  with  the  advice  of  the  Great 
Chiefs,  grant  a  dispensation  and  institute  the  Tribe. 

Sec.  5.  All  traveling  or  other  expenses  of  the  Great  Incohonee,  or  his 
Deputy,  in  lighting  the  Council  brand  of  a  Tribe,  shall  be  paid  by  such  Tribe. 

FORM  OF  PETITION. 

To  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men : 

The  undersigned  pale  faces,  or  members  of  the  Order,  residing  in 

,  respectfully  petition  the  Great  Council  to  grant  them  a  Charter  to  estab- 
lish a  Tribe  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  to  be  located  in , 

County  of ,  State  of ,  and  known  as Tribe, 

No.  — ,  and  under  your  jurisdiction.  Should  this,  our  petition,  be  granted,  we 
hereby  pledge  ourselves,  individually  and  collectively,  to  be  governed  by  the 
Constitution,  Laws  and  Usages  of  the  Order. 

Inclosed  is  the  Charter  fee,  15  fathoms. 

(The  petition  must  be  signed  by  the  petitioners .) 

The  name  selected  should  be  that  of  some  aboriginal  tribe,  title,  designa- 
tion or  word  common  to  the  locality.  The  number  will  be  supplied  by  the 
Great  Council.  The  petition  and  charter  fee  should  be  sent  to  the  Great 
Chief  of  Records  of  United  States.  In  due  time  the  petitioners  will  receive 
notice  of  the  disposition  made  of  the  petition.  If  not  granted  the  fee  will  be 
returned.  In  the  meantime  the  petitioners  should  arrange  the  necessary 
preliminary  business,  so  as  to  have  as  little  delay  as  possible  on  the  arrival  of 
the  Great  Chiefs  to  institute  the  Tribe.  The  chiefs  may  be  selected  at  an 
informal  meeting,  so  that  they  can  be  nominated  and  elected  at  once.  The 
wigwam  should  be  entirely  private  and  secure  from  intrusion. 

CONSTITUTION 

FOR  TRIBES   UNDER  THE   IMMEDIATE   JURISDICTION   OF  THE   GREAT 
COUNCIL   OF  THE  UNITED   STATES. 

NOTE.  — The  following  is  intended  for  the  Constitution  of  all  Tribes  under  the  immediate 
jurisdiction  of  the  Great  Council  United  States.  Such  Tribes  may  make  By-Laws  in  con- 
formity therewith,  but  must  not  alter  said  Constitution  or  fail  to  work  in  accord  thereto 
until  a  Great  Council  is  established  in  their  respective  reservations.  Said  Constitution 
must  not  be  changed  in  any  way  by  interlineation,  erasure,  insertion,  or  otherwise,  but 


LEGISLATION,    CONSTITUTIONS,  ETC.  571 

must  be  taken  and  used  intact  by  the  Tribes,  the  Great  Gauncil  of  the  United  States  alone 
having  the  right  to  change  or  modify  it. 

When  By-Laws  are  adopted  three  copies  thereof  shall  be  transmitted  to  the  Great  Chief 
of  Records  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  who  shall  immediately  refer  thvn  to 
the  Committee  on  Constitution  and  Laws,  upon  whose  approval  they  shall  be  binding 
upon  the  Tribe. 

ARTICLE   I. 
NAME,  TITLE,  COMPOSITION,  AND  POWERS. 

1.  This  Tribe  shall  be  known  by  the  name  mentioned  in  its  By-Laws. 

2.  It  shall  be  composed  of  duly  qualified  and  legally  admitted  brothers, 
and  possess  such  power  and  authority  as  its  Charter,  the  Constitution  and 
Laws  of  the  Order  define  as  belonging  to  a  Tribe. 

ARTICLE   II. 
CHIEFS. 

1.  The  Elective  Chiefs  of  this  Tribe  shall  consist  of  a  Sachem,  Senior 
Sagamore,  Junior  Sagamore,  Prophet,  Chief  of  Records,  and  Keeper  of  Wam- 
pum—  all  of  whom  must  be  members  of  the  Chief's  Degree. 

A  Collector  of  Wampum  may  be  elected,  who  must  be  a  member  of  the 
Chiefs  Degree. 

The  Prophet  must  be  a  Past  Sachem. 

2.  The  appointed  Chiefs  shall  consist  of  a  First  and  Second  Sannap,  Guard 
of  the  Wigwam,  Guard  of  the  Forest,  four  Warriors  and  four  Braves. 

ARTICLE   III. 
QUALIFICATIONS  OF  CHIEFS. 

1 .  After  the  Tribe  has  been  instituted  two  great  suns,  no  brother  shall  be 
eligible  for  Senior  Sagamore,  unless  he  has  served  one  term  as  Junior  Saga- 
more ;  nor  Sachem  unless  he  has  served  one  term  as  Senior  Sagamore. 

2.  No  brother  resigning,  or  who  may  be  removed  from  a  position  previous 
to  the  expiration  of  the  term  for  which  he  has  been  elected,  unless  it  be 
to  fill  a  higher  position,  shall  be  entitled  to  the  honors ;  but  the  incumbent 
who  shall  fill  the  residue  of  the  term,  shall  be  entitled  to  the  full  honors 
thereof. 

ARTICLE   IV. 

ELECTION  OF  CHIEFS. 1 

1 .  The  election  for  Chiefs  shall  take  place  at  the  last  stated  council  in  the 
Hot  and  Hunting  moons  ;  and  the  nominations  may  be  made  two  seven  suns 
previous  to  the  election. 

2.  The  Chief  of  Records  and  Keeper  of  Wampura,  shall  be  elected  for  one 
great  sun ;  and,  if  the  Tribe  deem  it  expedient,  a  Collector  of  Wampum  may 

1  The  Chiefs  elected  (at  the  institution  of  a  Tribe)  more  than  two  moons  prior  to 
the  close  of  a  term,  shall  be  entitled  to  the  full  honors  thereof. 


572 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 


be  chosen  for  the  same  period,  to  perform  such  duties  as  the  By-Laws  may 
prescribe. 

3.  The  election  shall  be  by  ballot,  and  a  majority  of  the  votes  polled  shall 
be  necessary  to  a  choice. 

ARTICLE  V. 

RAISING  AND  APPOINTING  OF  CHIEFS. 

1 .  The  raising  up  of  Chiefs  shall  take  place  on  the  first  council  sleep  of  the 
Cold  and  Buck  moons,  unless  a  dispensation  has  been  granted  to  postpone 
the  same.     Tribes  may  have  their  Chiefs  raised  up  in  public,  provided  a  dis- 
pensation has  been  first  obtained. 

2.  The  Sachem  shall  appoint  the  various  appointive  Chiefs  named  in  the 
Constitution. 

ARTICLE  VI. 

DUTIES  OF  SACHEM. 

The  Sachem  shall  act  as  presiding  chief  of  the  Tribe ;  enforce  a  rigid  ad- 
herence to  the  Constitution,  Laws  and  Ritual  of  the  Order ;  give  the  casting 
vote  whenever  the  Tribe  may  be  equally  divided  upon  any  question  before  it, 
except  when  the  yeas  and  nays  are  taken ;  sign  all  orders  for  wampum  that 
may  be  ordered  by  the  Tribe  ;  appoint  a  majority  of  all  committees  not  other- 
wise provided  for ;  convene  special  councils  of  the  Tribe  whenever  requested 
in  writing  by  five  brothers  so  to  do,  and  perform  such  other  duties  as  may  be 
required  of  him  by  his  chieftaincy,  the  By-Laws,  or  by  a  vote  of  the  Tribe. 

ARTICLE   VII. 
DUTIES  OF  SENIOR  SAGAMORE. 

The  Senior  Sagamore  shall  see  that  the  brothers  demean  themselves  in  an 
orderly  manner ;  preside  in  the  absence  of  the  Sachem ;  appoint  a  minority 
of  all  committees  not  otherwise  provided  for,  and  perform  such  other  duties  as 
may  be  prescribed  by  the  By-Laws,  or  required  of  him  by  a  resolution  of  the 
Tribe. 

ARTICLE   VIII. 
DUTIES  OF  JUNIOR  SAGAMORE. 

The  Junior  Sagamore  shall  aid  the  Senior  in  preserving  order  and  decorum, 
and  take  his  seat  when  1  e  is  absent.  When  the  Sachem  and  Senior  are 
absent,  he  shall  preside. 

ARTICLE   IX. 
DUTIES  OF  CHIEF  OF  RECORDS. 

i .  The  Chief  of  Records  shall  keep  an  accurate  record  of  the  proceedings 
of  the  Tribe,  have  charge  of  the  seal,  keep  correct  accounts  between  the  Tribe 
and  its  members ;  receive  all  Wampum  due  the  Tribe,  and  pay  the  same  over 
to  the  Keeper  of  Wampum,  taking  his  receipt  for  the  same. 


LEGISLATION,    CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  573 

2.  He  shall,  at  the  end  of  each  six  moons'  term,  furnish  the  Great  Chief  of 
Records  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  a  report  containing  the 
whole  number  of  members,  those  over  three,  six  and  nine  moons  in  arrears; 
the  amount  of  wampum  received  by  the  Tribe,  the  amount  expended  for 
benefits,  funerals  and   other  purposes ;   amount  invested ;   the  number  and 
names  of  those  adopted,  admitted  by  card,  reinstated,  withdrawn,  suspended, 
expelled,  deceased  and  rejected,  together  with  the  names  of  the  Chiefs  elect, 
and  a  list  of  Past  Sachems  not  more  than  three  moons  in  arrears,  and  for- 
ward the  same  with  a  tax  of  ten  inches  for  each  member  on  the  books  at  the 
close  of  each  six  moons1  term,  within  seven  suns  after  the  first  council  sleep 
of  the  term. 

3.  At  the  expiration  of  his  term  he  shall  deliver  to  his  successor  all  books, 
papers  and  other  matters  belonging  to  his  Chieftaincy. 

ARTICLE  X. 
DUTIES  OF  KEEPER  OF  WAMPUM. 

1 .  The  Keeper  of  Wampum  shall  attend  each  council  of  the  Tribe  ;  receive 
all  wampum  due  the  Tribe,  giving   his    receipt  therefor ;  keep  regular  and 
correct  accounts  of  all  wampum  received  and  paid  by  him,  and  report  the 
condition  of  the  belt  at  the  end  of  each  term ;  pay  all  orders  authorized  by  a 
vote  of  the  Tribe,  attested  by  the  Sachem  and  Chief  of  Records. 

2.  He  shall  have  his  accounts  ready  for  settlement  on  the  sleep  succeed- 
ing   the    election,   and   attend   the   committee   for   that   purpose  whenever 
requested.     He  shall  deliver  to  his  successor  (or  to  a  committee  appointed 
to  receive  the  same),  at  the  expiration  of  his  term,  resignation,  or  removal, 
all  wampum  remaining  in  the  belt,  and  all  books,  papers,  or  other  matter 
appertaining  to  his  chieftaincy.     He  shall,  before  entering  upon  his  duties, 
give  such  security  as  the  Tribe  may  require. 

ARTICLE   XI. 
DUTIES  OF  COLLECTOR  OF  WAMPUM. 

The  Collector  of  Wampum  (if  the  Tribe  elect  one),  shall  assist  the  Chief 
of  Records  in  the  performance  of  his  duties,  act  for  him  in  his  absence  and 
perform  such  other  duties  as  the  Tribe  may  direct. 

ARTICLE   XII. 
APPOINTED  CHIEFS. 

The  appointed  chiefs  shall  perform  such  duties  as  may  be  required  of  them 
by  the  Tribe,  Charge  Books,  and  Laws  of  the  Order. 

ARTICLE   XIII. 
REMOVALS  AND  VACANCIES. 

i.  Any  Chief  may  be  removed  for  inattention  to  the  duties  of  his  chief- 
taincy, or  conduct  unbecoming  a  member  of  the  Order,  after  trial  and  con- 


574  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

viction.  Every  Chief  against  whom  charges  are  preferred  shall  fill  his 
chieftaincy  until  the  same  has  been  determined,  unless  otherwise  ordered  by 
a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  members  present. 

2.  Any  elective  or  appointed  Chief  absent  for  four  consecutive  council 
sleeps,  or  more  than  three  moons  in  arrears  for  seven  suns1  dues,  may  be 
removed  by  a  vote  of  the  Tribe,  provided  he  has  had  at  least  one  seven  suns' 
notice  to  show  cause  why  he  should  not  thus  be  dealt  with. 

3.  All  vacancies  shall  be  filled  by  election  or  appointment  according  to  the 
nature  of  the  chieftaincy,  and  the  Chief  so  elected  and  serving  to  the  end  of 
the  term  shall  be  entitled  to  the  honors  thereof. 

ARTICLE  XIV. 
MEMBERSHIP. 

1.  No  person  shall  be  adopted  into  a  Tribe  of  the  Order  except  a  free 
white  male,  of  good  moral  character  and  standing,  of  the  full  age  of  twenty- 
one  great  suns,  who  believes  in  the  existence  of  a  Great  Spirit,  the  Creator  and 
Preserver  of  the  Universe,  and  who  is  possessed  of  some  known  reputable 
means  of  support,  and  free  from  all  infirmities  that  might  render  him  burden- 
some to  the  Tribe. 

2.  An  application  for  adoption  must  be  recommended  by  two  brothers  in 
good  standing,  and  accompanied  by  one-half  the  adoption  fee.     The  applica- 
tion shall  be  referred  to  a  committee  of  three,  who  shall  make  a  strict  investi- 
gation of  the  health,  character  and  qualifications  of  the  applicant,  and  report 
at  the  next  council . 

3.  Upon  the  report  of  the  committee  a  ballot  shall  be  taken,  and  if  two  or 
more  black  twigs  shall  have  been  deposited,  action  on  the  application  shall 
be  deferred  until  the  next  stated  council  of  the  Tribe,  when  another  ballot 
shall  be  had,  and  if  not  more  than  three  of  the  twigs  then  cast  are  black,  the 
candidate  shall  be  declared  elected.     If  rejected,  his  fee  mus-t  be  returned  to 
him,  and  his  application  shall  not  be  renewed  in  any  Tribe  of  the  Order  for 
the  space  of  six  moons  thereafter. 

4.  No  pale  face  can  be  adopted  for  a  less  sum  than  three  fathoms. 

5.  Any  brother  of  the  Order  holding  a  withdrawal  card,  or  dismissal  cer- 
tificate, desirous  of  becoming  a  member  of  a  Tribe,  shall  make  application  as 
in  case  of  a  pale  face,  accompanying  his  application  with  his  withdrawal  card, 
or  dismissal  certificate,  which  shall  be  referred  to  a  committee  of  three,  whose 
duty  it  shall  be  to  report  as  to  his  standing  and  qualifications  at  a  stated 
council,  when  a  ballot  shall  be  had,  as  in  case  of  a  pale  face. 

6.  Should  a  pale   face  neglect  or  refuse  to  present  himself  for  adoption 
within  six  seven  suns  from  the  date  of  his  election  (unless  a  satisfactory  ex- 
cuse be  given),  the  proposition  fee  shall  be  forfeited  to  the  Tribe,  and  he 
cannot  be  admitted  except  by  a  new  election. 

7.  No  proposition  for  membership  shall  be  withdrawn  after  it  has  been 
referred  to  a  committee,  except  by  unanimous  consent,  and  in  all  cases  a 
ballot  shall  be  had  whether  the  report  be  favorable  or  unfavorable. 


LEGISLATION,    CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  575 

8.  No  Tribe  shall  adopt  a  pale  face  resident  of  another  State  reservation 
unless  by  consent  of  the  Great  Sachem  of  such  reservation ;  nor  confer 
degrees  upon  a  member  of  another  Tribe,  except  by  permission,  under  seal, 
of  the  Tribe  to  which  said  member  belongs. 

ARTICLE  XV. 
REINSTATEMENT. 

1 .  A  member  suspended  for  non-payment  of  dues,  wishing  to  be  reinstated, 
shall  make  application  therefor  to  the  Tribe,  when  a  committee  of  three  shall 
be  appointed,  who  shall  investigate  his  fitness  for  membership,  and  on  the 
report  of  the  committee  a  ballot  shall  be  had,  and  if  not  more  than  three 
black  twigs  appear  against  him,  he  shall  be  declared  elected. 

2.  A  member   applying   for   reinstatement  within   one   great   sun   of  his 
suspension,  shall  pay  one  great  sun's  dues ;  if  after  one  great  sun,  he  shall 
pay  the  same  fee  as  a  pale  face  of  the  same  age. 

3.  A  member  suspended  for  improper  conduct  shall,  at  the  expiration  of 
the  time  for  which  he  was  suspended,  be  reinstated ;  and  shall  pay  all  dues 
and  assessments   accrued   during  his  suspension.     Should   he   be  guilty  of 
improper  conduct  during  his  suspension,  he  shall  be  liable  to  trial  as  provided 
for  in  the  Code  of  Procedure. 

ARTICLE  XVI. 
CARDS  AND  DISMISSAL  CERTIFICATES. 

1.  A  member  may  withdraw  from  his  Tribe  upon  a  personal  or  written 
application,  by  paying  all   dues   and  demands  against   him  on   the   books, 
together  with  a  fee  for  his  card  (which  shall  not  be  less  than  twenty-five 
inches),  and  provided  there  be  no  charges  pending  against  him. 

2.  A  member  desirous  of  visiting  a  Tribe  outside  of  his  own  reservation 
must  pay  all  dues  and  demands  against  him  for  the  current  term,  and  receive 
a  certified  receipt  signed  by  the  Sachem  and  attested  by  the  Chief  of  Records 
with   the  seal,  which   shall   be  the   only  evidence   to  prove   him   in  good 
standing. 

3.  A  member  suspended  for  non-payment  of  dues,  desirous  of  joining  a 
Tribe   in   the   same  reservation,  after  one  great  sun's  suspension,  shall  be 
entitled   to   receive,  and  the  tribe  shall   grant,  upon   proper  application,  a 
Dismissal  Certificate  upon  the  payment  of  not  less  than  one  fathom  nor  more 
than  one  great  sun's  dues. 

4.  A   member   suspended   for   non-payment   of  dues,  wishing   to   regain 
membership  in   another  reservation,  shall   be   entitled  to   receive,  and  the 
Tribe  shall  grant,  upon  proper  application,  a  Dismissal  Certificate  upon  the 
receipt  of  not  less  than  one  fathom  nor  more  than  one  great  sun's  dues. 

5.  In   aH  cases  wherein  a  Tribe  has  refused  to  reinstate  a  member  sus- 
pended for  non-payment  of  dues,  he  shall  be  entitled  to  receive,  and  the  Tribe 
shall,  upon  proper  application,  grant  a  Dismissal  Certificate  upon  the  receipt 
of  one  fathom. 


576  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

6.  Dismissal  Certificates  may  be  received  upon  deposit  in  any  Tribe, 
under  the  same  laws  as  withdrawal  cards,  but  the  privilege  of  visiting  shall 
not  be  awarded  to  the  holder  of  a  Dismissal  Certificate. 

ARTICLE   XVII. 
DEGREES. 

1.  Brothers  desirous  of  advancing  should  make  application  for  degrees  in 
open  council ;  the  application  shall  be  referred  to  the  Tribe  while  working  in 
the  degrees ;  a  ballot  shall  be  had,  and  if  not  more  than  three  black  twigs  are 
cast  it  shall  be  granted.     If  rejected,  the  application  cannot  be  renewed  for 
three  moons. 

2.  Any  brother  in  good  standing  who  has  been  a  member  of  his  Tribe  for 
one  seven  suns,  may  apply  for  the  Hunter's  Degree ;   and   one  seven  suns 
after  he   shall   have   received   that   degree  he  may  apply  for  the  Warrior's 
Degree ;  and  one  seven  suns  after  he  shall  have  received  that  degree,  he  may 
apply  for  the  Chief's  Degree.     In  cases  of  necessity,  on  application  with  the 
requisite  fee,  the  Great  Incohonee,  or  his  Deputy,  may  grant  dispensations 
to  confer  degrees  in  less  time  than  required  by  the  foregoing  clause. 

3.  The   fees   to   be   paid   on   application  for  the  Hunter's,  Warrior's   or 
Chief's  Degree,  shall  not  be  less  than  one  fathom  each. 

4.  The  elective  Chiefs  shall  see  that  the  degrees  are  properly  conferred. 

5.  This  Tribe  shall  not  confer  degrees  upon  a  brother  of  another  Tribe, 
without  its  consent  given  under  seal. 

ARTICLE   XVIII. 
DUES. 

Every  member  of  this  Tribe  shall  pay  into  the  Wampum  Belt  thereof  such 
sums  as  the  By-Laws  may  prescribe,  which  shall  not  be  less  than  ten  inches 
per  seven  suns. 

ARTICLE   XIX. 
BENEFITS. 

1 .  Any  brother  qualified  as  required  by  this  Constitution  and  the  By-Laws 
of  this  Tribe,  if  unable  to  follow  the  hunt  (his  usual  occupation),  and  to  such 
an  extent  as  to  disqualify  him  from  following  some  other  occupation,  shall  be 
entitled  to  receive  from  the  Wampum 'Belt  such  sum  as  the  By-Laws  may 
prescribe ;  provided,  his   disability  does  not  result  from  his  own  improper 
conduct ;  and,  provided  further,  that  the  Tribe  may  enact  a  By-Law  that  no 
benefits  shall  be  allowed  for  the  first  seven  suns'  disability.     They  may  also 
provide  for  a  graded  scale  of  benefits. 

2.  A  member  unable  to  follow  the  hunt  and  residing  beyond  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  the  Relief  Chiefs,  desiring  to  receive  seven  suns'  benefits,  shall  cause 
to  be  presented  to  his  Tribe  a  written  application,  accompanied  by  his  physi- 
cian's certificate,  stating  the  time  in  attendance  and  the  nature  of  his  sickness 


LEGISLATION,    CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC,  577 

or  disability,  with  directions  how  the  wampum  shall  be  forwarded  (at  his 
risk),  attested  by  the  Sachem  and  Chief  of  Records  under  seal  of  a  Tribe  in 
his  vicinity  or  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  such  other  proof  as  may  be  required. 
He  shall  not  be  entitled  to  seven  suns1  benefits  for  more  than  four  seven  suns 
preceding  such  application. 

3.  In  the  event  of  the  Great  Spirit  calling  a  beneficial  member  from  the 
hunting  grounds  of  his  fathers,  the  Tribe  shall  appropriate  the  amount  pre- 
scribed in  the  By-Laws  (not  less  than  twenty  fathoms),  toward  defraying  the 
funeral  expenses,  to  be  paid  to  such  person  as  the  brother  may  designate ; 
pror'ided,  that  should  the  Relief  Chiefs  be  satisfied  that  said  benefits  would 
be  diverted  from  that  purpose,  they  may  see  that  said  expenses  are  paid,  not 
exceeding  the  amount  specified  in  the  By-Laws. 

4.  A  member  shall  not  be  entitled  to  benefits  for  any  disease  or  infirmity 
with  which  he  was  afflicted  previous  to  his  admission  into  the  Tribe,  nor 
when  so  afflicted  as  to  prevent  him  from  following  his  usual  occupation  but 
able  to  pursue  some  other  business,  or  for  any  sickness  or  disability  origi- 
nating from  intemperance  or  immoral  conduct ;  or  while  any  charge  is  pending 
against  him,  but,  when  he  has  been  acquitted,  after  due  trial,  he  may  claim 
for  the  time,  if  otherwise  entitled.     A  member,  if  unable  to  follow  the  hunt, 
when  in  arrears  to  the  Tribe  to  the  amount  of  more  than  three  moons1  dues 
and  fines,  cannot  by  payment  of  such  arrears  become  entitled  to  benefits  dur- 
ing that  sickness  or  disability ;  nor  can  a  member  while  receiving  benefits 
become  in  arrears  so  as  to  debar  him  therefrom,  it  being  the  duty  of  the 
Sachem  to  pay  to  the  Chief  of  Records,  from  the  wampum  drawn  for  his 
benefits,  a  suni  sufficient  to  prevent  his  becoming  in  arrears  to  the  Tribe  to 
the  amount  of  more  than  three  moons1  dues.     No  member  shall  be  entitled 
to  seven  suns1  or  funeral  benefits  unless  he  shall  have  been  a  member  of  the 
Tribe  for  at  least  six  moons. 

5.  In  case  the  wampum  shall  at  any  time  be  reduced  to  a  less  amount  than 
five  feet  for  each  member,  or  to  less  than  fifty  fathoms,  the  Tribe  may  make 
application  to  the  Great  Incohonee  for  a  dispensation  to  suspend  the  payment 
of  benefits,  or  to  reduce  the  same  below  the  amount  fixed  jn  their  By-Laws. 
The  resolution  to  apply  must  be  read  at  two  councils,  and  be  adopted  by  a 
vote   of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present.     The   Great  Incohonee,  upon 
being  satisfied  of  the  inability  of  the  Tribe,  may  grant  such  dispensation. 

ARTICLE  XX. 
CHARGES  AGAINST  MEMBERS. 

(See  pages  562,  563,  564,  565,  and  566,  substituting  for  "  Great  Sachem  " 
the  words  "Great  Incohonee.")  On  page  566  substitute  for  Section  18  the 
following  sections  numbered  18  and  19. 

18.  A  member  three  moons  in  arrears  for  fines  or  dues  shall  not  be  entitled 
to  the  password,  hold  chieftaincy  or  vote. 

19.  Any  brother  who  shall  refuse  or  neglect  to  pay  his  fines  or  dues,  as 


578  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN, 

prescribed  by  the  by-laws,  for  one  great  sun,  shall  be  suspended,  unless  other- 
wise ordered  by  the  Tribe. 

General  Instructions  for  Commissioners  appointed  by  Tribes  to  take 
testimony  (see  page  566). 

ARTICLE   XXI. 
PUBLIC  DISPLAYS. 

No  concert,  festival,  or  other  public  assemblage  except  funerals,  shall  be 
allowed  without  permission,  nor  shall  any  brother  appear  in  the  regalia  or 
costume  of  the  Order  at  any  concert,  festival,  public  assemblage  or  procession, 
unless  by  permission  of  the  Great  Council,  Great  Incohonee,  or  Deputy 
Great  Incohonee. 

ARTICLE   XXII. 

KINDLING  THE  COUNCIL  FIRE. 

The  council  fire  of  this  Tribe  shall  be  kindled  on  such  sleeps,  and  at  such 
time,  as  the  By-Laws  may  designate ;  provided  that  Sunday  shall  not  be 
selected  for  regular  councils. 

ARTICLE   XXIII. 
QUORUM  AND  DISSOLUTION. 

1 .  Five  members  or  more,  including  one  qualified  to  preside,  shall  consti- 
tute a  quorum  for  the  transaction  of  business ;  and  if  a  quorum  only  be  pres- 
ent no  wampum  shall  be  appropriated  (except  for  benefits)  without  unanimous 
consent. 

2.  A  Tribe  should  not  be  dissolved  as  long  as  seven  members  are  willing 
to  continue  it. 

3.  Should   a  Tribe   become    extinct,   all    the    books,    wampum,   papers, 
regalia  and  other  private  matters  shall  be  forwarded  to  the  Great  C.  of  R. 
ofU.  S. 

ARTICLE   XXIV. 

INTERPRETATION  OF  LAWS. 

The  provisions  of  this  Constitution  shall  be  interpreted  and  construed 
according  to  their  most  plain  and  obvious  meaning ;  and  should  any  doubt 
arise  as  to  the  proper  construction  of  any  clause  or  article  thereof,  it  shall  be 
referred  to  the  Great  Incohonee,  whose  decision  shall  be  final,  until  reversed 
by  the  Great  Council  of  U.  S. 

ARTICLE   XXV. 
REGALIA. 

No  brother  shall  be  permitted  to  wear  any  regalia  except  that  belonging 
to  his  rank  or  station  in  the  Tribe. 


LEGISLATION,   CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  579 

ARTICLE  XXVI. 
BY-LAWS  —  ALTERATIONS  AND  AMENDMENTS. 

1.  By-Laws   may  be   made   by   each    Tribe   for   its   special   government, 
provided  they  do  not  contravene  this  Constitution,  and  shall  have  received 
the  approval  of  the  Committee  on  Constitution  and  Laws  of  the  Great  Coun- 
cil of  United  States. 

2.  No  alteration  or  amendment  can  be  made  to  this  Constitution  for  five 
great  suns,  and  not  then  unless  the  same  be  offered  in  writing  at  a  regular 
stated  Council  of  the  Great  Council  of  United  States,  and  receive  the  votes 
of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present  at  the  next  stated  council,  whereupon  it 
shall  become  a  part  of  this  Constitution. 

RULES   OF   ORDER. 

i 

1 .  The  Sachem  having  taken  his  seat,  the  chiefs  and  brothers  shall  clothe 
themselves  with  appropriate  regalia,  take  their  respective  seats,  and  at  the 
sound  of  the  tomahawk  observe  general  silence. 

2.  The  business  shall  be  proceeded  with  in  the  order  prescribed  in  the 
Charge  Book. 

3.  The  Sachem  shall  preserve  order  and  pronounce  the  decision  of  the 
Tribe  on  all  subjects ;    he  shall  decide  questions  of  order  without  debate, 
subject  to  an  appeal  to  the  Tribe  by  any  three  brothers  —  on  which  appeal 
no  brother  shall  speak  more  than  once,  when  the  question  before  the  Tribe 
shall  be :  "  Shall  the  decision  of  the  Sachem  stand  as  the  judgment  of  the 
Tribe?1'  which  question  shall  be  taken  by  the  Senior  Sagamore. 

4.  During  the  reading  of  the  records,  communications,  and  other  papers, 
or  when  a  brother  is  addressing  the  Sachem  or  Tribe,  silence  shall  be  ob- 
served in  the  wigwam. 

5.  Any  brother  who  shall  misbehave  himself  in  the  council  of  the  Tribe, 
disturb  the  order  or  harmony  thereof,  either  by  abusive,  disorderly,  or  profane 
talk,  or  refuse  obedience  to  the  Sachem,  shall  be  admonished  of  his  offense 
by  the  presiding  chief;  and  if  he  offend  again,  he  shall  be  excluded  from 
the  wigwam  for  the  sleep,  and  afterwards  dealt  with  as  the  By-Laws  pre- 
scribe. 

6.  No  brother  shall  be  interrupted  while  speaking,  except  it  be  to  call  him 
to  order,  or  for  the  purpose  of  explanation. 

7.  If  a  brother,  while  speaking,  be  called  to  order,  he  shall,  at  the  request 
of  the  Sachem,  take  his  seat  until  the  question  of  order  is  determined,  and 
permission  given  him  to  proceed. 

8.  Every  brother,  when  he  speaks  or  offers  a  motion,  shall  rise  and  respect- 
fully address  the  Sachem.     Brothers  speaking  shall  confine  themselves  to  the 
question  under  debate  and  avoid  all  personality  and  indecorous  language. 

9.  If  two  or  more  brothers  rise  to  speak  at  the  same  time,  the  Sachem  shall 
decide  which  is  entitled  to  the  floor. 


580  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

10.  No  brother  shall  speak  more  than  once  on  the  same  question. until  all 
the  brothers  -wishing  to  speak  shall  have  had  an  opportunity  to  do  so,  nor 
more  than  twice  without  permission  of  the  Sachem.     Each  brother,  while 
speaking,  shall  designate  the  chief  or  brother  spoken  of  by  his  proper  rank 
or  title,  according  to  his  standing  in  the  Order. 

11.  No  motion  shall  be  subject  to  debate  until  it  shall  have  been  seconded 
and  stated  from  the  chair.     It  shall  be  reduced  to  writing  at  the  request  of 
any  member. 

12.  When  a  question  is  before  the  Tribe  no  motion  shall  be  in  order  ex- 
cept to  quench  the  council  fire ;  to  lay  on  the  table ;  the  previous  question ; 
to  postpone  indefinitely ;  to  postpone  for  a  certain  time;  to  divide;  to  com- 
mit, or  to  amend  —  which  motions  shall  severally  have  precedence  in  the 
order  herein  arranged. 

13.  No  brother  of  another  Tribe,  except  a  chief  of  the  Great  Council,  shall 
be  allowed  to  speak  without  permission  of  the  Sachem. 

14.  On  the  call  of  five  brothers  a  majority  of  the  Tribe  may  demand  the 
previous  question,  which  shall  always  be  put  in  this  form :  "  Shall  the  main 
question  be  now  put?"   and  until  it  is  decided   shall   preclude   all   further 
amendments  and  debate. 

15.  When  a  blank  is  to  be  filled  the  question  shall  be  first  taken  upon  the 
highest  sum  or  number,  and  the  longest  and  latest  time  proposed. 

1 6.  Any  brother  may  call  for  a  division  of  the  question  when  the  sense 
will  admit  of  it ;  but  a  motion  to  strike  out  and  insert  shall   be  indivisible, 
except  at  the  option  of  the  mover. 

17.  Before  putting  a  motion  the  Sachem. shall  ask;  "Is  the  Tribe  ready 
for  the  question?"     If  no  brother  rise  to  speak  the  Sachem  shall  rise  and  put 
the  question ;  and  after  he  has  on  that  subject  risen,  no  brother  shall  be  per- 
mitted to  speak. 

18.  All  communications,  petitions  and  memorials  shall  be  presented  through 
a  brother  of  the  Tribe,  or  by  the  Sachem.     A  brief  statement  of  their  con- 
tents shall  be  entered  on  the  records. 

19.  Any  brother  may  excuse  himself  from  serving  on  a  committee,  if  at 
the  time  of  his  appointment  he  is  a  member  of  two  other  committees.     No 
brother  can  be  appointed  on  a  committee  when  absent  from  the  Tribe. 

20.  The  brother  first  named  on  a  committee  shall  act  as  chairman  until 
another  is  chosen  by  the  brothers  of  the  committee.     The  mover  of  a  resolu- 
tion referred  to  a  special  committee  is  usually  the  first  named  thereon. 

21.  No  committee  can  be  finally  discharged  until  all  the  debts  contracted 
by  it  shall  have  been  paid. 

22.  A  motion  to  quench  the  council  fire  is  always  in  order  after  the  regular 
business  has  been  gone  through,  which  motion  shall  be  decided  without  de- 
bate ;  but,  if  decided  in  the  affirmative,  the  council  is  not  closed  until  the 
council  fire  is  quenched  in  due  form. 

23.  A  motion  to  lie  on  the  table  shall  be  decided  without  debate. 

24.  When  a  question  is  postponed  indefinitely  it  shall  not  be  acted  on 
during  that  or  the  next  succeeding  stated  council. 


LEGISLATION,   CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  581 

25.  No  motion  to  reconsider  a  vote  shall  be  received  unless  made  by  a 
brother  who  voted  with  the  prevailing  side  in  the  first  instance. 

26.  No  brother  shall  be  permitted  to  speak  or  vote  unless  clothed  in  regalia 
according  to  his  rank  or  station  in  the  Tribe. 

27.  On  the  call  of  five  brothers,  the  yeas  and  nays  shall  be  taken;  when 
every  brother  shall  vote,  and  the  names  and  manner  of  voting  shall  be  entered 
on  the  records. 

FORMS. 

"Forms  for  Charges,"  "Notice  to  Accused,"  "Form  of  Subpoena  to 
Accused,"  "  Form  of  Subpoena  to  Accuser  or  Witness,"  "  Report  of  Com- 
mittee," "  Notice  to  Accused  as  to  Report,"  and  "  Form  of  Appeal  from 
the  action  of  a  Tribe  "  will  be  found  on  pages  567,  568,  and  569. 

DEGREE    OF    POCAHONTAS. 

CONSTITUTION. 

• 

RULE  I. 
TITLE. 

This  body  shall  be  known  as —  Council  No.  — ,  of  the  DEGREE  OF 

POCAHONTAS,  IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  RED  MEN. 

RULE   II. 
MEMBERSHIP. 

Any  member  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  who  has  been  exalted  to 
the  Chief's  degree,  free  white,  and  is  in  good  standing  in  his  Tribe,  and  any 
white  woman  over  18  years  of  age,  of  good  moral  character,  shall  be  eligible 
to  membership  in  any  Council  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas. 

RULE   III. 
OBJECTS. 

Among  the  objects  of  this  Degree  shall  be  the  moral  advancement  of  the 
members  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  their  families  and  lady  friends, 
for  the  promotion  of  social  enjoyment  among  the  members  of  the  Degree, 
and  the  general  welfare  and  prosperity  of  the  Order. 

RULE   IV. 

CHARTERS. 

Charters  may  be  granted  by  Great  Councils  to  establish  Councils  in  their 
jurisdiction  upon  the  application  of  not  less  than  twenty  persons,  ten  of  whom 
shall  be  members  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  who  have  been  ex- 
alted to  the  Chiefs,,  Degree.  The  charter  fee  shall  not  be  less  than  fifteen 


5§2  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

fathoms,  for  which  the  Council  shall  receive  the  charter,  rituals,  proposition 
book,  and  unwritten  work  of  the  Degree. 

Councils  shall  be  under  the  control  of  the  Great  Council  within  whose 
jurisdiction  they  may  be  located. 

In  jurisdictions  where  no  Great  Councils  exist,  application  must  be  made 
to,  and  charters  granted  by,  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  in 
accordance  with  Article  XIII,  Constitution,  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States. 

RULE   V. 
COUNCILS. 
Councils  shall  kindle  their  council  fires  at  least  once  a  moon. 

RULE   VI. 
CHIEFS. 

1.  The  Elective  Chiefs  shall  be  Pocahontas,  Wenonah  and  Powhatan, 
who  shall  be  chosen  by  ballot,  to  serve  six  moons,  and  the  Keeper  of  Records 
and  Keeper  of  Wampum,  who  shall  be  chosen  for  twelve  moons.     The  Coun- 
cil may  select  a  Collector  of  Wampum  to  keep  the  wampum  accounts  of  the 
Council. 

2.  The  retiring  Pocahontas  shall  fill  the  stump  of  Prophetess.      At  the 
institution  of  the  Council  the  sister  selected  as  Prophetess  shall  receive  the 
honors  of  a  Past  Chief. 

3.  Past  officers  of  organizations  that  were  in  existence  prior  to  the  pro- 
mulgation of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas,  said  bodies  having  accepted  the 
provisions  of  the   law,  shall  be  entitled  to  the  rank  and   honors  of  Past 
Chiefs. 

4.  The  appointed  Chiefs  shall  be  two  Scouts,  two  Runners,  two  Guards, 
two  Counsellors  and  four  Warriors,  to  be  appointed  by  the  Pocahontas. 

RULE   VII. 
RAISING  UP  OF  CHIEFS. 

The  raising  up  of  Chiefs  shall  take  place  on  the  first  council  sleep  of  the 
term,  unless  a  dispensation  has  been  granted  to  postpone  the  same.  Councils 
may  have  their  Chiefs  raised  up  in  public,  provided  a  dispensation  has  been 
first  obtained. 

RULE   VIII. 
VACANCIES. 

All  vacancies  by  removal,  death,  suspension,  resignation  or  otherwise, 
shall  be  filled  by  election  or  appointment,  as  the  case  may  be,  to  serve  the 
residue  of  the  term,  and  the  Chiefs  so  serving  shall  be  entitled  to  the  honors 
of  the  term. 


LEGISLATION,   CONSTITUTIONS,  £TC.  583 

RULE   IX. 
APPLICATION  FOR  MEMBERSHIP. 

1.  An  application  for  adoption  must  be  recommended  by  two  members  in 
good  standing,  and  accompanied  by  one-half  the  adoption  fee.     The  applica- 
tion shall  be  referred  to  a  committee  of  three,  who  shall  make  a  strict  investi- 
gation of  the  health,  character  and  qualifications  of  the  applicant,  and  report 
at  the  next  council. 

2.  Upon  the  report  of  the  committee,  a  ballot  shall  be  taken,  and  if  two 
or  more  black  twigs  shall  have  been  deposited,  action  on  the  application  shall 
be  deferred  until  the  next  stated  council  of  the  Council,  when  another  ballot 
shall  be  had,  and  if  not  more  than  three  of  the  twigs  then  cast  are  black,  the 
candidate  shall  be  declared  elected.     If  rejected,  the  application  shall  not  be 
renewed  in  any  Council  of  the  Order  for  the  space  of  six  moons  thereafter. 

3.  No  proposition  for  membership  shall  be  withdrawn  after  it  has  been 
referred  to  a  committee,  except   by  unanimous  consent,  and  in  all  cases  a 
ballot  shall  be  had  whether  the  report  be  favorable  or  unfavorable. 

4.  No  Council  shall  adopt  a  pale  face  resident  of  another  State  reservation 
unless  by  consent  of  the  Great  Sachem  of  such  reservation. 

5.  Any  member  of  the    Degree   holding  a  withdrawal   card,  desirous  of 
becoming  a  member  of  a  Council,  shall  make  application  as  in  case  of  a  pale 
face,  accompanying  the  application  with  a  withdrawal  card,  which  shall  be 
referred  to  a  committee  of  three,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  report  as  to  his  or 
her  standing  and  qualifications  at  a  stated  council,  when  a  ballot  shall  be  had, 
as  in  case  of  a  pale  face. 

6.  Application  for  a  withdrawal  card  shall  be  made  either  personally  or 
in  writing,  and  the  same  shall  be  granted,  provided  the  member  is  clear  upon 
the  books  of  the  Council,  free  from  charges,  and  there  be  no  valid  objections. 

7.  Any  withdrawal  card  may  be  revoked  for  cause  by  the  Council  granting 
the  same,  and  when  so  revoked  the  person  holding  said  card  shall  be  subject 
to  the  Council  which  issued  the  same.     A  withdrawal  card  may  be  renewed 
if  lost  or  destroyed. 

8.  A  member  suspended   for  non-payment  of  dues,  desirous  of  joining 
a  Council  in  the  same  reservation,  after  one  great  sun's  suspension,  shall  be 
entitled   to  receive,  and  the   Council  shall   grant,  upon   proper  application, 
a  Dismissal  Certificate  upon  the  payment  of  not  less  than  one  fathom  nor 
more  than  one  great  sun's  dues. 

9.  A   member  suspended    for   noh-payment   of  dues,  wishing  to   regain 
membership  in  another  reservation,  shall   be  entitled   to  receive,  and  the 
Council   shall  grant,  upon  proper  application,  a  Dismissal    Certificate  upon 
the  receipt  of  not  less  than  one  fathom  nor  more  than  one  great  sun's  dues. 

10.  In   all   cases  wherein  a   Council    has   refused   to  reinstate  a  member 
suspended  for  non-payment  of  dues,  he  or  she  shall  be  entitled  to  receive, 
and  the  Council  shall,  upon  proper  application,  grant  a  Dismissal  Certificate 
upon  the  receipt  of  one  fathom. 

11.  Dismissal  Certificates  may  be  received  upon  deposit  in  any  Council, 


584  IMPROVED   ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

under  the  same  laws  as  withdrawal  cards,  but  the  privilege  of  visiting  shall 
not  be  awarded  to  the  holder  of  a  dismissal  Certificate. 


RULE   X. 

FEES. 
The  admission  fee  shall  not  be  less  than  one  fathom. 

RULE   XL 
DUTIES  OF  CHIEFS. 

The  Chiefs  shall  perform  the  duties  of  similar  Chiefs  as  are  laid  down  in 
the  rules  for  government  of  the  Tribes  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men, 
as  adopted  and  promulgated  by  the  Great  Council  in  whose  reservation  they 
may  be  located. 

RULE   XII. 
LAWS. 

1.  Councils  may  establish  laws  for  the  carrying  into  effect  the  beneficial 
feature  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  by  the  enactment  of  laws  pro- 
viding for  the  payment  of  seven  suns  and  funeral  benefits. 

2.  Councils  must  have  a  seal  with  an  appropriate  device,  which  shall  be 
affixed  to  all  official  documents  emanating  therefrom. 

3.  A  member  shall  at  all  times  be  allowed  to  visit  and  attend  any  Council 
of  the  Degree,  in  conformity  with  the  ritual,  provided  he  or  she  is  legally  in 
possession  of  the  password. 

4.  Charges,   trials    and    penalties   against    members    of   the    Degree   of 
Pocahontas,  shall  be  governed  by  the  Code  of  Procedure,  as  adopted  by  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States. 

RULE  XIII. 
BY-LAWS. 

Councils  may  establish  By-Laws  for  their  own  government,  provided  they 
do  not  contravene  these  rules,  and  the  laws  and  usages  of  the  Order,  but  the 
same  shall  not  go  into  effect  until  they  receive  the  approval  of  the  proper 
authority  under  whose  jurisdiction  they  are. 

RULE   XIV. 
REPORT. 

Great  Councils  shall  make  out  and  present  to  the  G.  C.  of  R.  of  G.  C.  of 
U.  S.  a  report  every  great  sun  of  the  standing  of  the  Councils  of  the  Degree 
of  Pocahontas  under  their  jurisdiction. 


LEGISLATION,    CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC.  585 

RULE   XV. 
DISTRICTS  —  TAX  —  GREAT  SUN  COUNCIL. 

1 .  Great  Councils  may  establish  Districts  in  their  reservations,  and  they 
may  provide  that  the   Great    Sachem  may  appoint  a  Deputy  to  act  as  the 
representative  of  the  Great  Sachem,  who  shall  have  charge  of  the  Councils 
located  in  the  District. 

2.  Past  Chiefs  shall  be  eligible  to  the  chieftaincy  of  Deputy. 

3.  Great  Councils  may  enact  laws  taxing  Councils  of  this  degree. 

4.  Great  Councils  may  establish  rules  by  which  a  Great  Sun  Council  of 
the  members  of  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas  can  be  held  at  such  time  and 
place  as  they  may  deem  proper,  and    regulations  designating  the   business 
that  may  be  transacted  thereat.     At  such  councils,  Past  Chiefs,  Past  Sachems 
who  are  members,  and  those  who  may  be  selected  as  representatives  from 
the   various    councils,   shall    be   entitled    to   a  seat    and    a  voice    in    the 
deliberations. 

RULES   OF   ORDER. 

1.  The  Pocahontas  having  taken  her  seat,  the  chiefs  and  members  will 
clothe  themselves  with  appropriate  regalia,  take  their  respective  seats,  and 
at  the  sound  of  the  tomahawk  there  shall  be  general  silence. 

2.  The  business  shall  be  proceeded  with  in  the  manner  prescribed  in  the 
Charge  Book. 

3.  The    Pocahontas  shall   preserve  order  and   pronounce  the  decision  of 
the    Council  on  all   subjects ;    she  shall   decide  questions  of  order  without 
debate,  subject  to  an  appeal   to   the   Council   by  any  three  members  —  on 
which  appeal    no  member  shall   speak  more  than  once,  when  the  question 
before  the  Council  shall  be :    "  Shall  the  decision  of  the  Pocahontas  stand 
as  the  judgment  of  the   Council  ? "    which  question  shall   be  taken  by  the 
Wenonah. 

4.  During  the  reading  of  the  records,  communications,  and  other  papers, 
and  when  a  member  is  addressing  the  Pocahontas  or  Council,  silence  shall 
be  observed  in  the  wigwam. 

5.  Any  members  who  shall  misbehave  in  the  council,  disturb  the  order  or 
the   harmony   thereof,   either  by  abusive,  disorderly,  or  profane   language, 
or  shall  refuse  obedience  to  the  Pocahontas,  shall  be  admonished  of  their 
offense,  and  if  they  offend  again,  they  shall  be  excluded  from  the  teepee  for 
the  sleep,  and  afterwards  dealt  with  as  the  By-Laws  prescribe. 

6.  No  member  shall   be  interrupted  while  speaking,  except   it  be  to  be 
called  to  order,  or  for  the  purpose  of  explanation. 

7.  If  a  member,  while   speaking,   be   called   to  order,  he   shall,  at   the 
request  of  the   Pocahontas,  take   his   seat   until   the   question    of  order  is 
determined,  and  permission  given  him  to  proceed. 

8.  Every  member,  when   speaking  or  offering  a  motion,  shall    rise  and 
respectfully  address  the  Pocahontas.     Members  speaking  shall  confine  them- 


586  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

selves  to  the  question  under  debate  and  avoid  all  personality  and  indecorous 
language. 

9.  If  two  or  more  members  rise  to  speak  at  the  same  time,  the  Pocahontas 
shall  decide  which  is  entitled  to  the  floor. 

10.  No  member  shall  speak  more  than  once  on  the  same  question  until 
all  the  members  wishing  to  speak  shall  have  had  an  opportunity  to  do  so,  nor 
more   than   twice  without   permission   of  the    Pocahontas.     Each  member, 
while  speaking,  shall  designate  the  chief  or  member  spoken  of  by  their  proper 
rank  or  title,  according  to  their  standing  in  the  Order. 

1 1 .  No  motion  shall  be  subject  to  debate  until  it  shall  have  been  seconded 
and  stated  from  the  chair.     It  shall  be  reduced  to  writing  at  the  request  of 
any  member. 

12.  When  a  question  is  before  the  Council  no  motion  shall  be  in  order 
except  to  quench  the  council  fire ;    to  lay  on  the  table ;    for  the  previous 
question ;  to  postpone  indefinitely ;  to  postpone  for  a  certain  time  ;  to  divide  ; 
to  commit,  or  to  amend  —  which   motions  shall   severally  have   precedence 
in  the  order  herein  arranged. 

13.  No  member,  except  a  chief  of  the  Great  Council,  or  a  member  of  the 
Council,  shall  be  allowed  to  speak  without  permission  of  the  Pocahontas. 

14.  On  the  call  of  three  members  a  majority  of  the  Council  may  demand 
the  previous  question,  which  shall  always  be  put  in  this  form  :    "  Shall  the 
main  question  be  now  put?"  and  until  it  is' decided  shall  preclude  "all  further 
amendments  and  debate. 

15.  When  a  blank  is  to  be  filled  the  question  shall  be  first  taken  upon  the 
highest  sum  or  number,  and  the  longest  and  latest  time  proposed. 

1 6.  Any  member  may  call  for  a  division  of  the  question  when  the  sense 
will  admit  of  it ;  but  a  motion  to  strike  out  and  insert  shall  be  indivisible, 
except  at  the  option  of  the  mover. 

17.  Before  putting  the  question  the  Pocahontas  shall  ask :  "  Is  the  Council 
ready  for  the  question  ?  "     If  no  member  rises  to  speak  the  Pocahontas  shall 
rise  and  put  it ;  and  after  she  has  risen,  no  member  shall  be  permitted  to 
speak. 

1 8.  All  communications,  petitions  and  memorials  shall  be  presented  through 
a  member  of  this  Council  or  by  the  Pocahontas.     A  brief  statement  of  their 
contents  shall  be  entered  on  the  records. 

19.  Any  member  may  be  excused  from  serving  on  a  committee,  if  at  the 
time  of  his  appointment  he  is  on  two  other  committees.     No  member  can 
be  appointed  on  a  committee  when  absent  from  the  Council. 

20.  The  member  first  named  on  a  committee  shall  act  as  chairman  until 
another  is  chosen  by  the  members  of  the  committee.     The  mover  of  a  resolu- 
tion referred  to  a  special  committee  is  usually  the  first  named  thereon. 

21.  No  committee  can  be  finally  discharged  until  all  the  debts  contracted 
by  it  shall  have  been  paid. 

22.  A   motion   to  quench   the  council   fire   is  always  in   order  after   the 
regular  business   has   been  gone   through,  which  motion  shall   be    decided 
without  debate.     If  decided  in  the  affirmative,  it  is  not  quenched  until  the 
council  is  closed  in  due  form. 


LEGISLATION,    CONSTITUTIONS,   ETC, 


587 


23.  A  motion  to  lie  on  the  table  shall  be  decided  without  debate. 

24.  When  a  question  is  postponed    indefinitely  it  shall  not  be  acted  on 
during  that  or  the  next  succeeding  stated  council. 

25.  A  motion  to  reconsider  the  vote  upon  any  question  in  a  Council  must 
be  made  at  the  same  Council,  but  its  consideration  may  be  postponed  to 
a  subsequent  Council,  but  cannot  be  received  unless  made  by  a  member  who 
voted  with  the  majority  in  the  first  instance. 

26.  No  brother  shall  be  permitted  to  speak  or  vote  unless  clothed  in 
regalia. 

27.  On  the  call  of  three  members,  the  yeas  and  nays  shall  be  ordered ; 
when  every  member  shall  vote,  and  the  names  and  manner  of  voting  shall  be 
entered  on  the  records. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

DEGREE    OF    POCAHONTAS. 

IN  all  ages  the  poet  has  sung  and  the  historian  has  written 
of  the  influence  of  woman  upon  the  destinies  of  the  world. 
Her  assistance  has  made  success  possible  where  without  it 
failure  was  inevitable.  Her  refining  influence  has  lifted  man 
from  the  base  and  sordid  passions  inherent  to  his  nature  and 
brought  him,  if  not  to  perfection,  yet  a  little  nearer  the  divine 
ideal.  What  more  appropriate,  then,  than  that  she  should  be 
called  upon,  and  her  influential  co-operation  secured  in  an 
organization  like  ours,  whose  mission  is  "to  visit  the  sick,  to 
relieve  the  distressed,  bury  the  dead,  and  to  educate  the 
orphan."  On  woman  falls  the  chief  burden  of  sorrow  which 
the  trials  and  tribulations  of  the  world  visit,  as  a  seemingly 
inevitable  legacy,  upon  mankind.  Like  gold  from  the  crucible, 
she  emerges  from  the  sorrow  and  becomes  at  once  the  guide 
and  consolation  of  man,  —  guiding  him  to  a  better  life  and 
consoling  him  in  misfortune  and  distress. 

Nearly  fifty  years  ago  the  first  attempt  was  made  to  engraft 
upon  the  laws  of  the  Order  legislation  which  should  provide 
for  an  auxiliary  branch,  or  degree,  into  which  might  be  admitted 

the  female  relatives  of  members   of  the  Order.     The  various 

« 

attempts  in  this  direction  are  recorded  in  that  chapter  of  this 
history  devoted  to  the  extracts  from  the  written  records  of  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  It  will  there  be  seen  that 
the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  steadily  refused  to  give 
heed  to  the  appeals  made  in  behalf  of  such  a  degree,  and  it 
was  not  until  the  council  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States  held  at  Elmira,  N.Y.,  in  G.S.D.  394  (September,  1885), 
that  positive  action  was  taken  and  legislation  adopted  which 
permitted  the  establishment  of  Councils  of  the  Degree  of 
Pocahontas.  At  this  council  rules  and  regulations  were  adopted 

588 


DEGREE    OF  POCAHQNTAS.  589 

to  go  into  effect  on  and  after  January  i,  1886,  under  which 
Councils  of  the  degree  could  be  organized.  At  the  following 
council  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  held  at 
Detroit  in  1886,  a  ritual  was  presented  and  adopted. 

This  legislation  was  taken  upon  recommendation  of  the  Great 
Council  of  Massachusetts  in  whose  reservation  an  organiza- 
tion had  been  in  existence  for  two  years  known  as  Pocahontas 
Council,  No.  i,  of  Marblehead,  Mass.  Immediately  after  the 
promulgation  of  the  rituals  governing  the  degree,  this  organiza- 
tion was  transformed  into  a  Council  of  the  Degree  of  Poca- 
hontas. 

The  first  Council  of  the  Degree,  instituted  under  the  legal  and 
recognized  laws  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  was 
Wenonah  Council,  No.  r,  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  whose  council  fire 
was  lighted  on  the  28th  sleep  of  Cold  moon,  G.  S.  D.  396  (Feb- 
ruary 28,  1 887),' at  Red  Men's  wigwam,  928  Race  Street,  in  that 
city. 

The  name  of  the  degree  is  taken  from  the  celebrated  char- 
acter in  Indian  history,  Pocahontas,  whose  brief  life  presents  a 
touching  and  beautiful  picture  of  grace,  beauty,  and  virtue,  as 
well  as  of  constant  friendship  to  the  palefaces,  who  repaid  friend- 
ship and  hospitality  with  ingratitude  and  treachery. 

We  present  herewith  the  legend  of  her  life. 

In  the  winter  of  1607-8  Captain  John  Smith  proceeded  up 
the  Chickahominy  River  for  the  purpose  of  exploration.  He  fell 
into  an  ambush,  and  was  captured  by  a  band  of  Indians,  two  or 
three  hundred  in  number,  under  the  command  of  Opechanca- 
nough,  Sachem  of  the  Pamunkeys,  a  reputed  brother  of  Powhatan. 
In  trying  to  escape,  Captain  Smith  fell  into  a  swamp  and  was 
finally  captured.  He  escaped  immediate  death  by  diverting  the 
attention  of  his  captors  with  a  round  ivory  double  compass-dial 
which  he  presented  to  Opechancanough.  He  was  tied  to  a  tree 
for  the  purpose  of  execution,  but  the  chief  in  command  inter- 
ceded, his  execution  was  postponed,  and  he  was  conducted  to 
the  camp  of  Powhatan.  On  his  arrival,  the  women  and  chil- 
dren flocked  around  to  gaze  upon  a  being  so  different  from 
any  they  had  ever  seen  before.  The  warriors  of  the  tribe 
immediately  began  a  grand  war  dance,  which  Captain  Smith 
describes  in  these  words  :  "  A  good  time  they  continued  this 


590  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

exercise,  and  then  cast  themselves  in  a  ring  dancing  in  such 
severall  postures,  and  singing  and  yelling  out  such  hellish  notes 
and  screeches,  being  strangely  paynted,  every  one  his  quiver  of 
arrowes,  and  at  his  backe  a  club ;  on  his  arme  a  fox  or  an  otter's 
skinne,  or  some  such  matter  for  a  vambrace ;  their  heads  and 
shoulders  paynted  red,  with  oyle  and  pocones  mingled  together, 
which  scarlet-like  color  made  an  exceeding  handsome  show ;  his 
bow  in  his  hand,  and  the  skinne  of  a  bird  with  her  wings  abroad 
dryed,  tyed  of  his  head  ;  a  piece  of  copper,  a  white  shell,  a  long 
feather,  with  a  small  rattle  growing  at  the  tayls  of  their  snaks 
tyed,  or  some  such  like  toy."  The  dance  was  three  times 
renewed,  Smith  and  the  Sachem  standing  in  the  centre  of  the 
band  of  warriors. 

For  several  days  Captain  Smith  was  kept  by  the  Indians,  and 
feasted  with  unbounded  hospitality.  On  arriving  at  the  village, 
he  was  detained  until  Powhatan  could  receive  him  in  proper 
state.  It  was  said  that  he  was  then  introduced  to  the  Chief,  the 
multitude  hailing  him  with  a  tremendous  shout  as  he  walked  in. 
Powhatan  —  a  majestic  and  finely-formed  savage,  with  a  marked 
countenance,  and  an  air  of  haughtiness,  sobered  down  into 
gravity  by  a  life  of  sixty  years  —  was  seated  before  a  fire,  clothed 
in  a  robe  of  raccoon  skins,  with  all  the  tails  hanging  over  him. 
Around  him  sat  the  chiefs  and  other  members  of  the  tribe.  All 
had  their  heads  and  shoulders  painted  red  ;  many  had  their 
hair  decked  with  the  white  down  of  birds.  Some  wore  a  great 
chain  of  white  beads  about  their  necks,  but  no  one  was 
without  ornament  of  some  kind.  Then  followed  a  long  and 
solemn  council  to  determine  the  fate  of  the  captive.  It  was 
decided  he  must  die.  Two  large  stones  were  brought  in  before 
the  Chief,  and  Smith  was  laid  upon  them,  his  head  placed  in 
position  for  beating  out  his  brains  with  clubs.  At  the  fatal 
moment  when  the  weapons  were  raised  and  the  blows  about  to 
be  given,  Pocahontas,  the  daughter  of  Powhatan,  rushed  forward, 
and  earnestly  entreated  with  tears  that  the  captive  might  be 
saved.  Her  request  was  at  first  rejected,  and  the  signal  given 
to  the  executioners  to  complete  their  work.  Pocahontas  then 
knelt  down,  put  her  arms  about  Smith,  laid  her  head  over  his, 
and  declared  he  should  not  be  killed,  except  she  first  perished. 
Powhatan  relented ;  the  decree  was  reversed,  and  the  life  of 


DEGREE    OF  POCAHONTAS.  591 

Captain  Smith  was  saved.  The  Captain  was  detained  as  a 
prisoner  for  two  days  longer,  and  then  sent  under  guard  to 
Jamestown. 

This  celebrated  scene  is  preserved  in  a  beautiful  piece  of 
sculpture  over  the  western  door  of  the  Rotunda  of  the  Capitol  at 
Washington.  The  group  consists  of  five  figures,  representing 
the  precise  moment  when  Pocahontas,  by  her  interposition,  saved 
Smith  from  being  executed.  Smith  is  attired  in  military  dress, 
reclining  on  his  elbow,  his  body  extended  ready  to  receive  the 
death  blow  from  the  war  mace  of  the  Indian  who  stands  near  his 
head. 

All  the  information  which  comes  down  to  us  describes  Poca- 
hontas as  being  a  woman  of  remarkable  grace,  beauty,  and 
kindness  of  heart.  Frequently  by  her  interposition  and 
friendly  warning  the  Colony  at  Jamestown  was  saved  from 
destruction.  She  was  married  to  Mr.  John  Rolfe,  by  whom 
she  was  taken  to  England.  There  she  was  received  at  Court 
by  both  the  King  and  Queen  with  the  most  flattering  marks  of 
attention.  Concerning  her  death  it  is  thus  written  :  "  It  is  the 
last  and  saddest  office  of  history  to  record  the  death  of  this 
incomparable  woman,  in  about  the  22d  year  of  her  age.  This 
event  took  place  at  Gravesend  where  she  was  preparing  to  em- 
bark to  Virginia  with  her  husband  and  child."  They  were  to 
have  gone  out  in  1617,  and  suitable  accommodations  had  been 
made  on  the  ship  of  the  Admiral.  It  was  also  recorded  that 
she  died  as  she  had  long  lived,  a  most  sincere  and  pious  Chris- 
tian. Her  death  was  a  happy  mixture  of  Indian  fortitude  and 
Christian  submission,  affecting  all  those  who  saw  her  by  her 
beauty  and  virtue  which  were  marked  characteristics  of  her 
life.  Of  the  character  of  Pocahontas,  it  is  remarked  that  con- 
sidering all  circumstances  it  is  not  surpassed  by  any  in  the 
whole  range  of  history  ;  and  that  for  those  qualities  which  more 
especially  do  honor  to  our  nature  —  a  humane  and  feeling 
heart,  and  unshaken  constancy  in  her  attachments  —  she  stands 
almost  without  a  rival.  She  gave  evidence  of  possessing,  in  a 
high  degree,  every  attribute  of  mind  and  heart  which  should  be 
and  has  been  the  ornament  and  pride  of  civilized  woman  in  all 
countries  and  times.  Her  unwearied  kindness  to  the  English 
was  entirely  disinterested ;  she  encountered  danger  and  suffer- 


592  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED   MEN. 

ing,  and  every  kind  of  opposition  and  difficulty  to  bestow  it ;  and 
her  aid  was  given  modestly  and  unostentatiously,  and  without 
wish  for  or  hope  of  reward. 

In  1892  the  Bishop  of  Indiana  visited  England,  and  in  an 
article  written  after  his  return  he  says  :  — 

"  This  noble  Indian  Princess,  Pocahontas,  of  Virginia,  was  buried  in  the 
chancel  of  St.  George's  Church,  Gravesend,  England.  The  knowledge 
gained  is  from  the  church  register,  dated  March  27,  1617.  There  is  no  mon- 
ument in  the  church,  as  it  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1727.  She  had  been  on 
a  visit  to  England  with  her  husband,  where  she  had  been  received  at  court 
and  was  about  to  return  to  Virginia,  when  she  was  taken  sick  aboard  ship  at 
Gravesend  and  died,  and  her  body  was  taken  ashore  and  buried.  The  rector 
of  St.  George's  Church  is  about  undertaking  the  restoration  of  the  church  and 
extending  the  church.  It  would  seem  proper  that  some  memorial  of  this  dis- 
tinguished Princess,  and  friend  of  the  whites  in  the  early  settlement  of  Vir- 
ginia, should  be  placed  in  this  church  where  she  was  buried.  Of  course, 
Rebecca  Rolfe,  as  she  was  known  after  her  marriage,  was  converted  and  a 
church  woman." 

From  the  register  of  her  burial  the  following  is  copied  :  — 

"March  27.  1617. 

"  Rebecca  Rolfe,  the  wife  of  John  Rolfe  gentleman,  a  Virginia  lady  born,  is 
buried  in  this  chancel." 

From  Pocahontas  some  of  the  proudest  families  of  Virginia 
have  been  pleased  to  trace  their  lineage.  The  numerous  de- 
scendants of  her  son  have  been  noted  for  their  integrity,  ability, 
and  culture,  and  have  always  ranked  among  the  most  distin- 
guished Virginians.  Of  these  John  Randolph  was  a  conspic- 
uous example.  It  is  related  that  an  exciting  debate  took  place 
in  the  House  of  Representatives  at  Washington,  on  one  side  of 
which  was  Mr.  Randolph,  and  on  the  other,  Mr.  Jackson,  also 
of  Virginia.  Mr.  Randolph  had  spoken  and  Mr.  Jackson  arose 
to  reply.  He  had  not  proceeded  far  when,  having  occasion  to 
refer  to  some  part  of  the  speech  of  Mr.  Randolph,  he  alluded  to 
him  as  "My  friend  from  Virginia."  He  had  scarcely  given 
utterance  to  the  word  "  friend,"  when  Mr.  Randolph  sprang  to 
his  feet,  and  looking  first  at  Mr.  Jackson  and  then  at  the 
Speaker,  keeping  his  arm  extended  meantime,  and  his  long 
bony  finger  pointed  at  Mr.  Jackson,  said  in  his  peculiar 
voice :  — 


DEGREE    OF  POCAHONTAS. 


593 


"  Mr.  Speaker !  I  am  not  that  gentleman's  friend,  Sir.  I 
have  never  been  his  friend,  Sir,  nor  do  I  ever  mean  to  be  his 
friend,  Sir  !  " 

He  then  took  his  seat. 

Mr.  Jackson,  meantime  keeping  his  position  on  the  floor, 
looking  first  at  Mr.  Randolph  and  then  at  the  Speaker,  replied  : 

"  Mr.  Speaker,  I  am  at  a  loss  to  know  by  what  title  to  address 
the  honorable  member  from  Virginia."  Then  pausing  awhile 
with  his  finger  beside  his  hose,  he  said  :  "  I  have  it,  Sir  —  I 
have  it  —  it  shall  be"  —  looking  Mr.  Randolph  full  in  the  face 
-  "  The  Right  Honorable  Descendant  of  Her  Majesty,  Queen 
Pocahontas !  " 

The  entire  countenance  of  Mr.  Randolph  changed  instantly 
from  a  look  of  mingled  aversion  and  contempt  to  a  smile  the 
most  complaisant  and  gracious,  and  he  bowed  most  courteously, 
giving  evidence  that  of  all  the  honors  he  ever  coveted,  that  of 
having  descended  from  Pocahontas  was  the  one  he  most 
highly  prized. 

It  seems  fitting  to  conclude  this  chapter  with  the  lines  attrib- 
uted to  Miss  F.  N.  Caulkins,  of  New  Haven,  Conn.,  based  upon 
the  following :  — 

"Pocahontas,  having  renounced  the  religion  of  her  ancestors,  was  bap- 
tized in  the  small,  rude  church  at  Jamestown,  by  the  name  of  Rebecca.  In 
Captain  Smith's  account  of  her,  she  is  called  '  the  first  Christian  ever  of  that 
nation  —  the  first  Virginian  that  ever  spoke  English.1  Again  he  says  —  'In 
London,  divers  courtiers,  and  others  of  my  acquaintances,  have  gone  with  me 
to  see  her,  that  generally  concluded  God  had  a  great  hand  in  her  conversion.' " 

"  Not  thou,  the  red-browned  heroine,  whose  breast 
Screened  the  brave  captive  from  the  axe's  gleam ; 
Not  Pocahontas,  lov'd,  renown'd,  caress'd, 
But  meek  Rebecca,  is  my  gentle  theme. 

"  And  yet  she  was  a  nut-brown  maid,  a  child 
Of  tawny  lineage  —  but  of  aspect  bright  — 
A  sunny  gleam  that  through  the  woodlands  wild, 
Ran  freely  on,  in  her  own  path  of  light ; 

"  A  golden  arrow  darting  from  the  bow ; 
A  song-bird  warbling  in  the  lonely  shade  ; . 
A  mountain  stream,  in  whose  meand'ring  flow, 
The  depth  of  Heaven,  its  own  pure  blue  surveyed- 


594  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

"  Star  of  Virginia,  in  her  darkest  hour, 
Her  joy,  her  theme  of  glory  and  of  song ; 
Her  wild  red  rose,  that  in  the  Stuart's  bower 
Shed  grace  —  not  took  it  —  from  the  courtly  throng. 

"  Her  —  her  I  sing  not  — and  yet  her  I  sing  — 
Freed  from  earth-worship,  cleansed  from  rites  obscene ; 
Who,  from  unnumber'd  gods,  to  Zion's  King 
Escaping,  waves  her  palm  of  deathless  green. 

"  She  prays  —  celestial  brightness  gilds  her  face, 
And  to  resplendence  fades  her  olive  dye ; 
She  prays  —  the  howling  demons  of  her  race, 
Bewilder'd,  from  the  dazzling  vision  fly. 

"  With  folded  arms  before  the  fount  she  stood  — 
Encircled  by  the  hush'd  and  rev'rent  air ; 
Her  upward  glance  was  a  sweet  hymn  to  God  — 
Her  downward  look,  a  soul-suffusing  praye"r. 

"  The  heavenly  manna  dropping  from  the  shrine, 
She  gathered  in  her  heart,  and,  bending  low, 
Bound  her  green  leaf  upon  the  living  vine, 
And  felt  its  fragrant  shadow  round  her  flow. 

"  First  Convert  of  the  West!     The  Indian  child 
A  matron  stands  —  from  whose  sweet  tongue 
Flows  the  pure  stream  of  English,  undenTd  — 
Flows  the  deep  anthem,  and  eternal  song. 

"  She  died  afar  —  no  pilgrim  finds  her  tomb  — 
Unknown  the  spot,  yet  holy  is  the  ground ; 
The  Saviour's  breath  there  left  its  rich  perfume, 
And  angels  keep  their  guardian  watch  around. 

"  As  Pocahontas,  while  these  skies  remain, 
Still  our  Zodiac  show  the  Virgin  sign  ; 
But,  as  Rebecca,  when  yon  stars  shall  wane, 
Yon  Heavens  roll  by,  she,  as  a  star,  shall  shine." 


UJ 

5 

LL 
Ul 

< 

w 

< 
a. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

CHIEFTAINS'  LEAGUE. 

THE  desire  for  a  uniformed  rank  in  the  Order  became  mani- 
fest when  the  tide  of  prosperity  came  in,  and  the  permanence  of 
the  organization  seemed  assured.  The  success  of  similar  side 
degrees  in  other  organizations  led  men  to  suppose  that  the  same 
influence  would  be  exerted  upon  our  Order,  if  a  degree  could  be 
added,  principally  social  in  its  nature,  and  whose  members  could 
adopt  a  uniform,  appropriate  and  attractive,  to  be  used  on  public 
occasions. 

Attempts  were  made  at  various  times  to  secure  favorable 
action  by  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  but  it  was  not 
until  the  council  held  at  Elmira,  N.Y.,  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  394 
(September,  1885),  that  the  consent  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  was 
obtained  and  legislation  adopted  laying  the  groundwork  for  the 
Chieftains'  League. 

At  the  above  council  Representative  Henry  Poole,  of  Michigan, 
presented  a  document  relating  to  a  uniformed  rank  to  be  known 
as  the  "  Knights  of  Tammany,"  which  was  referred  to  the  Com- 
mittee on  State  of  the  Order.  The  Committee,  after  duly  con- 
sidering the  subject,  reported,  "that  there  is  a  call  in  some 
jurisdictions  for  a  Uniformed  Degree,  is  beyond  question,  and 
it  is  time  to  accede  to  that  call."  The  Committee  also  recom- 
mended that  the  Great  Chiefs,  assisted  by  a  special  committee 
of  five,  be  appointed  to  report  rules  and  rituals  for  said  Uni- 
formed Degree.  The  report  was  adopted,  and  the  Great  Chiefs, 
with  Past  Great  Incohonee  A.  J.  Baker,  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
Charles  H.  Litchman,  of  Massachusetts,  and  Representatives 
Henry  Poole,  of  Michigan,  August  Graf,  of  Missouri,  and  George 
T.  Fowler,  of  Maryland,  were  appointed  as  the  special  committee 
recommended. 

At  the  council  of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States, 
held  in  the  city  of  Detroit,  Mich.,  G.  S.  D.  395,  this  special 

595 


596  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

committee  submitted  a  report  containing  a  code  of  laws  for  the 
government  of  the  Uniformed  Degree.  The  committee  instead 
of  recommending  "  Knights  of  Tammany,"  substituted  the  name 
"  Chieftains'  League,"  for  the  title  of  the  new  branch  of  the 
Order.  It  also  recommended  that  the  ceremony  for  the  Bene- 
ficial Degree  Councils  be  used  as  the  ceremony  for  the  Uniformed 
Degree.  A  new  ritual,  however,  was  adopted. 

Immediately  after  the  laws  establishing  the  Uniformed  Degree 
were  promulgated,  Beneficial  Degree  Councils  were  merged 
into  Chieftains'  Leagues,  and  new  Leagues  sprang  up  in  every 
section  of  the  great  reservation.  Two  State  Leagues  were 
formed,  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey.  At  the  next  council 
of  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  held  at  Wilmington, 
Del.,  G.  S.  D.  396,  Representatives  from  State  Leagues  applied 
for  admission,  and  the  members  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States  realized  that  a  mistake  had  been  made  in  fram- 
ing the  laws  governing  the  Uniformed  Degree,  which  provided 
for  representation  from  State  Leagues  in  accordance  with  the 
laws  governing  representation  for  State  Great  Councils.  The 
difficulty  was  compromised  for  the  time  by  admitting  one 
Representative  from  each  State  League. 

The  ritual  which  was  adopted  had  at  previous  councils  of  the 
G.  C.  U.  S.  been  presented  by  the  advocates  of  a  higher  degree. 
The  Chiefs  were  known  as  Bashaba,  Senior  Paniese,  Junior 
Paniese,  Mishinewa,  Prophet,  Keeper  of  Records,  Keeper  of 
Wampum,  and  Sannap. 

From  the  first  there  seemed  to  be  considerable  friction  be- 
tween the  League  and  the  Order.  This  friction  was  due  not  to 
any  desire  on  the  part  of  the  members  of  the  League  in  any 
way  to  embarrass  the  Order.  On  the  contrary,  those  whose 
influence  was  strongest  in  its  establishment  were  among  the 
most  faithful  members  of  the  Order.  But  so  much  of  the  time  of 
the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  was  taken  up  in  the  consid- 
eration of  legislation  affecting  the  degree,  that  many  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  expressed  regret  that  the  Degree  had 
been  authorized.  This  feeling  manifested  itself  strongly  at  the 
council  held  at  Chicago,  in  G.  S.  D.  397,  but  culminated  finally 
at  the  council  held  at  Baltimore,  G.  S.  D.  398,  at  which,  by  an 
almost  unanimous  vote,  resolutions  were  adopted  as  follows :  — 


CHIEFTAINS'    LEAGUE. 


597 


"  Resolved,  That  all  Leagues  and  Great  Leagues  of  Red  Men,  in  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  this  Great  Council,  shall  on  and  after  the  1st  sun  of  Sturgeon  moon, 
G.  S.  D.,398,  be  an  independent  organization,  and  not  subject  to  any  laws 
or  regulations  of  this  Great  Council,  but  are  hereby  authorized  to  form  their 
own  Great  League  of  the  United  States  from  the  Leagues  and  Great  Leagues 
now  existing. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  Great  Leagues  or  subordinate  Leagues  shall  not  trans- 
gress in  any  way  upon  the  Constitutional  Laws  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men,  and  that  present  Chieftains  of  the  various  Leagues,  be  entitled  to  the 
same  honors  and  privileges  as  though  they  had  served  to  the  full  end  of  their 
term,  and  that  Leagues  shall  not  accept  or  retain  members  in  the  Chieftains' 
League,  unless  said  members  first  be  members  in  good  standing  of  the  Chief's 
Degree  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  and  to  retain  membership  in  the 
League  members  must  continue  membership  in  their  respective  Tribes." 

Immediately  after  the  quenching  of  the  council  fire,  a  meeting 
of  members  of  the  Chieftains'  League  was  held  at  which  Past 
Great  Incohonee  Ralph  S.  Gregory,  of  Indiana,  presided,  and 
Past  Great  Sachem  William  J.  Dinsmore,  of  Massachusetts, 
acted  as  Secretary.  The  Chairman  and  Secretary  were  directed 
to  issue  a  call  for  a  meeting  of  Representatives  of  all  Leagues 
to  be  held  in  New  York  City  on  the  i6th  of  Cold  moon, 
G.  S.  D.  399. 

This  meeting  was  held  and  a  large  number  of  Representatives 
was  present.  Past  Great  Sachem  William  J.  Dinsmore,  of  Massa- 
chusetts, was  elected  Chairman,  and  Past  Great  Sachem  Thomas 
D.  Tanner,  of  Pennsylvania,  Secretary. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  asking  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States  to  reconsider  its  action  and  to  give  the  League 
another  hearing. 

A  resolution  was  adopted  to  form  a  permanent  organization, 
to  be  known  and  styled  "  THE  NATIONAL  CHIEFTAINS'  LEAGUE 
OF  THE  UNITED  STATES." 

Committees  were  appointed  to  draft  a  code  of  laws  and  to 
prepare  a  ritual,  uniform,  and  a  Manual  of  Arms  and  Drill. 

Past  Great  Incohonee  George  B.  Colflesh,  of  Maryland,  was 
elected  Treasurer. 

The  first  regular  meeting  of 'the  National  League  was  held  at 
Red  Men's  Hall,  Philadelphia,  2ist  sun,  Worm  moon,  G.  S.  D. 
399  (March  21,  1890). 

At  this  meeting  a  ritual  was  adopted,  and  a  code  of  laws,  uni- 
form, and  a  Manual  of  Arms  and  Drill. 


598  IMPROVED    ORDER   OF  RED  MEN. 

At  this  meeting,  also,  a  declaration  was  made  stating  the 
causes  leading  to  the  organization  of  the  League,  and  a  Pre- 
amble adopted,  as  follows  :  — 

HISTORICAL. 

The  Chieftains'  League  was  created  as  a  higher  degree  of  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men,  by  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  and  that 
august  body,  in  its  wisdom,  deeming  it  impracticable  to  properly  legislate  for 
an  Order  or  Branch  with  whom  many  of  its  members  had  no  connection,  saw 
fit,  on  the  I2th  sun,  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  398,  in  Great  Council  assembled, 
in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  to  grant  the  Chieftains'  Leagues  their  inde- 
pendence, thus  permitting  only  members  of  the  Leagues  to  legislate  for  its 
advancement. 

Delegates  from  the  various  Leagues  in  the  United  States  assembled  in  the 
city  of  New  York,  on  the  i6th  sun,  Cold  moon,  G.  S.  D.  399,  accepted  the 
conditions  expressed  by  the  Great  Council,  and  organized  the  "National 
Chieftains'  League  of  the  United  States,"  and  elected  temporary  Chieftains ; 
adjourning  to  meet  in  Red  Men's  League  Room,  Philadelphia,  on  the  2ist 
sun,  Worm  moon,  where  the  permanent  organization  was  perfected,  and  the 
following  Constitution,  General  Laws,  etc.,  adopted,  the  Supreme  Chieftains 
being  elected  on  the  2ist  sun  of  Worm  moon,  when  adjournment  was  taken, 
the  National  League  to  be  reconvened  in  Bostqn  on  Wednesday  following  the 
first  Tuesday  of  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  399. 

PREAMBLE. 
OBJECTS  OF  THE  CHIEFTAINS'  LEAGUE. 

ist.  The  first  great  object  of  the  Chieftains'  League  is,  through  its  organi- 
zation, to  call  especial  attention  to  the  unsurpassed  benevolent,  protective 
fraternity  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  ;  an  Order  conceived,  born,  and 
bred  of  true  American  patriotism,  honor,  benevolence,  and  charity,  and  one 
of  the  worthiest  and  most  sublime  stars  in  the  constellation  of  secret  fraternal 
institutions,  shedding  its  effulgent  lustre  over  humanity's  pathway,  dispelling 
the  darkness  and  gloom  of  "man's  inhumanity  to  man,"  easing  the  burden- 
some trials  and  vicissitudes  of  life,  and  making  clear  the  divinely  constructed 
and  broad  brotherhood  of  mankind. 

2d.  To  unite  in  still  stronger  bonds  of  fraternal  affection ;  to  promote 
increased  benevolence  and  charity,  and  to  give  all  moral  and  material  aid 
possible  to  members  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  who  may  become 
associated  with  this  branch  of  the  Order. 

3d.  To  establish  a  thorough,  effective,  uniformed  rank,  and  well  disciplined 
semi-military  degree  or  adjunct  to  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

In  relation  to  conferring  honors  upon  members  of  Chieftains' 
Leagues,  already  existing,  the  following  was  made  a  law :  - 


CHIEFTAINS'   LEAGUE.  599 

"  All  Leagues  and  State  Leagues  now  in  existence  accepting  the  provisions 
of  the  Constitution  and  Laws  of  the  National  Chieftains1  League  shall  be 
granted  a  charter  free  of  expense,  and  be  entitled  to  all  privileges  and  emolu- 
ments prescribed  therein,  and  all  Past  Sachems  or  present  Sachems  serving 
to  the  end  of  their  term,  and  who  are  members  of  Chieftains'  Leagues  in  good 
standing  now,  shall  be  recognized  as  Past  Chieftains. 

"Past  Great  Incohonees  and  the  present  Great  Incohonee,  if  now  members 
in  good  standing  of  Chieftains1  Leagues,  and  Past  Great  Sachems  and  all 
present  Great  Sachems  serving  to  the  end  of  their  term,  now  members  in 
good  standing  of  Chieftains1  Leagues,  shall  be  accorded  the  honors  of  Past 
Supreme  and  Past  Superior  Chieftains  respectively.  Also,  duly  accredited 
Representatives  to  the  preliminary  and  Constitutional  Convention  for  the 
formation  of  the  National  Chieftains1  League  of  the  United  States  shall  be 
Past  Supreme  Representatives. 

"  The  President  of  the  preliminary  and  Constitutional  Convention  shall  be 
entitled  to  the  rank  and  honor  of  Past  Supreme  Chieftain,  and  all  elected  and 
appointed  Chieftains  of  the  National  Chieftains'  League,  and  serving  to  the 
end  of  the  first  term,  shall  be  entitled  to  the  full  honors  as  though  having 
served  for  one  full  great  sun,  and  all  Past  Chieftains,  as  determined  by  this 
Article,  participating  in  the  formation  of  the  National  Chieftains'  League  of 
the  United  States,  shall  be  eligible  to  any  elective  or  appointed  chieftaincy 
at  the  first  election  of  the  National  Chieftains1  League  of  the  United  States." 

As  a  matter  of  historical  interest  and  record,  we  give  the 
Chieftains  elected  at  the  formation  of  the  National  League. 
They  were  as  follows  :  — 

Supreme  Chieftain,  GEORGE  E.  GREEN,  New  York, 

ist  Vice  Supreme  Chieftain,  Z.  R.  ROBBINS,  Connecticut. 

2d  Vice  Supreme  Chieftain,  PAOLA  SALSBURY,  California. 

Sitting  Past  Supreme  Chieftain,        WILLIAM  J.  KAIN,  Pennsylvania. 

Supreme  Recorder,  T.  D.  TANNER,  Pennsylvania. 

Supreme  Treasurer,  GEORGE  B.  COLFLESH,  Maryland. 

Supreme  Messenger,  GEORGE  H.  Moss,  New  York. 

Supreme  Sentinel,  CHARLES  BROWN,  New  Jersey. 

Major  General,  J.  F.  HEFFERNAN,  Illinois. 

It  was  arranged  that  the  annual  sessions  of  the  National 
League  should  be  held  at  the  place  where,  and  just  previous  to 
the  time  at  which,  the  council  fire  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.  is  kindled. 
Accordingly,  the  next  annual  session  was  held  at  Cleveland,  O., 
in  Corn  moon,  G.  S.  D.  400,  at  which  the  uniform  of  the  League 
was  changed  to  that  of  the  Continental  army,  a  description  of 
which  is  as  follows  :  — 

Hat.  —  For  Officers:  The  three-cornered  Continental  hat  of 
black  felt,  four-inch  round  crown,  four-and-a-half-inch  brim, 


6oo 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED   MEN. 


trimmed  as  follows :  General  Officers :  white  plume,  five  inches 
in  height  above  the  cockade  in  which  it  is  supported.  Cockade 
made  of  blue  cloth,  of  material  of  coat,  cut  circular,  two-and-a- 
half  inches  in  diameter,  on  a  box- 
plaited  bow,  five  inches  long, 
of  buff  cloth,  of  material  of  pants. 
In  centre  of  cockade,  gilt  or 
brass  letters,  "  C.  L.,"  inclosed 
in  circle  one-and-a-half  inches  in 
diameter,  surmounted  by  spread 
eagle.  Hat  to  be  trimmed  one- 
half  inch  from  edge  of  brim 
with  one-quarter-inch  gold  braid. 
Line  and  Field  Officers :  same 
hat  as  General  Officers,  with 
exception  of  plume  of  royal 
purple  to  within  one  inch  of 
top,  which  shall  be  white,  and 
one-eighth-inch  gold  braid  for 
trimming.  Non  -  Commissioned 
Officers,  Musicians,  and  Pri- 
vates, wear  hat  of  same  style 
and  material  as  officers,  four 
inch  round  crown,  three-and-a- 
half-inch  brim,  with  half-inch 
buff  leather  trimming  on  edge 
of  brim,  dark-blue  plume,  four 
inches  high,  above  cockade  of 
blue  cloth  in  circle  one-and-a- 
half  inches  in  diameter,  on  circular  ground  of  buff  cloth  two- 
and-a-half  inches  in  diametqr ;  on  face  of  cockade  to  be  placed 
brass  or  gilt  letters,  "  C.  L.,"  in  monogram. 

Coat.  —  General  and  Field  Officers :  Double-breasted  Conti- 
nental coat  pattern  of  1776,  of  dark-blue  material,  known  as 
Middlesex  broadcloth,  with  facings  and  linings  of  skirt  of  buff 
of  same  material  (sample  of  shades  and  quality  of  material 
furnished  by  the  Supreme  Officers).  Buttons  on  front  of  coat 
of  plain  brass  or  gilt,  one  inch  in  diameter ;  balance  of  buttons 
of  same  size  covered  with  buff  cloth  same  as  facing.  Patterns 


Uniform  of  General  and  Field  Officers. 


CHIEFTAINS'   LEAGUE. 


60 1 


and  details  of  coat  in  accompanying  illustration.  Line  Officers : 
single-breasted  Continental  coat,  pattern  of  1776,  of  same  color 
and  material  as  that  of  Field  Officers.  Patterns  and  details  in 
accompanying  illustration.  Non-commissioned  Officers,  Musi- 
cians, and  Privates :  same  coat  as  Line  Officers. 

Vest.  —  The  long  cutaway  Continental  vest,  cut  high,  as  in 


Uniform  of  Captain  and  Line  Officers.  Uniform  of  Musicians  and  Privates. 

illustration,  of  buff  Middlesex  broadcloth,  as  per  sample,  buttoned 
with  nine  small  brass  or  gilt  buttons  of  one-half  inch  diameter, 
military  collar,  four-inch  square  flap  for  pocket.  This  vest  for 
all  officers  and  privates. 

Pants. — For  all  Officers  and  Privates:  knee-pants  of  barn- 
door pattern,   extending  just    below   the   knee,   with   ten-inch 


602  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

opening  on  side,  buttoned  with  four  small  plain  brass  buttons, 
same  as  vest,  fastened  at  extreme  bottom  with  straps  of  material 
of  pants,  and  nickel  buckles,  material  buff,  same  as  vest. 

Leggins.  —  For  all  Commissioned  Officers :  Black  enamelled 
leather  boots,  or  top-boot  leggins  extending  to  top  of  knee  in 
front,  and  sloping  to  top  of  calf  of  leg  in  rear. 

Mounted  officers  wear  spurs. 

Non-commissioned  Officers  and  Privates :  White  duck  spring- 
bottom  leggins  (spring  bottom  extending  to  vamp  of  shoe), 
extending  two  inches  above  the  knee,  cut  shapely  to  the  leg, 
buttoned  with  plain  brass  or  gilt  buttons,  same  as  on  vest, 
fastened  under  instep  with  strap  of  same  material,  and  nickel 
buckle. 

Equipments. — General  Officers:  U.S.  Regulation  Epaulet, 
with  appropriate  insignia ;  regulation  straight  sword,  with  white 
grip  and  nickel  scabbard,  suspended  at  left  side  by  two-and-a- 
half  inch  white  webbed  cotton  cross-belt  over  right  shoulder, 
under  vest,  attached  to  sword  with  white  leather  thong. 

Field  and  Line  Officers.  —  U.S.  regulation  epaulet  with  proper 
insignia,  regulation  straight  sword  with  black  grip  and  scabbard 
suspended  on  left  side  in  same  manner  as  General  Officers  with 
black  leather  thong. 

Non-commissioned  Officers,  Musicians,  and  Privates  wear  white- 
webbed  cotton  cross-belts,  two  and  a  quarter  inches  in  width, 
suspending  on  the  left  side  outside  of  coat  the  sword,  and  on 
the  right  a  cartridge-box,  belts  to  cross  in  front  of  centre  of 
body,  fastened  there  by  polished  brass  plate  or  shield  with  silver 
letters,  T.  O.  T.  E.  diagonally  across  the  face  thereof. 

Sword.  —  Silver  or  nickel  cross-hilt,  straight  sword,  white 
grip,  black  scabbard,  nickel  trimmed,  fastened  to  cross-belt  by 
black  enamelled  leather  thong. 

Cartridge-box  of  black  enamelled  leather,  six  inches  wide, 
four  inches  deep,  with  brass  letters  I.  O.  R.  M.  on  centre  of 
face  thereof. 

In  cold  or  stormy  weather  capes  may  be  worn  as  follows  :  — 

For  commissioned  officers,  dark-blue  mackintosh,  double  cape, 
buff  lined,  cape  to  extend  to  within  one  foot  of  ground,  outside 
cape,  extending  to  tip  of  fingers,  with  arm  at  natural  length. 

Non-commissioned  officers,  musicians,  and  privates,  dark-blue 


CHIEFTAINS'    LEAGUE.  603 

mackintosh,  buff-lined  cape  extending  to  the  knee,  with  four- 
inch  collar. 

Mounted  officers  may  wear  regulation  gauntlet  gloves  ;  all 
others  white  cotton  or  lisle-thread. 

Regulation  chevrons  for  non-commissioned  officers,  of  white 
material. 

It  is  further  ordered  and  directed  that  on  all  parades  of  the 
Chieftains'  Leagues,  in  the  uniform  of  the  League,  the  national 
flag  of  the  United  States  shall  be  carried. 

There  shall  be  at  least  two  musicians  detailed  from  each 
company,  one  of  which  shall  be  a  fifer  and  the  other  a  snare 
drummer. 

At  the  council  of  the  G.  C.  U.  S.,  held  immediately  after,  the 
good-will  of  the  members  thereof  was  expressed  towards  the 
League,  by  the  adoption  of  a  preamble,  and  resolutions  which 
quoted  the  declaration  of  objects  stated  in  the  Preamble  of  the 
League,  already  given,  and  which  concluded  as  follows,  — 

"  Whereas,  It  is  fitting  that  this  Great  Council  shall  manifest  its  apprecia- 
tion of  the  effort  being  made,  through  the  instrumentality  of  said  body,  to 
build  up  and  strengthen  the  Order ;  therefore 

"  Resolved,  That  it  is  the  sense  of  this  Great  Council  that  the  Chieftains1 
League  is  a  valuable  auxiliary  to  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  and  we 
earnestly  commend  it  to  the  favorable  consideration  of  the  members  at  large, 
as  deserving  of  their  warmest  support." 

Leagues  are  now  in  existence  in  Alabama,  Colorado,  Califor- 
nia, Connecticut,  Illinois,  Indiana,  Iowa,  Kansas,  Maryland, 
New  Hampshire,  New  Jersey,  New  York,  Ohio,  Pennsylvania, 
Rhode  Island,  Washington  (State),  and  West  Virginia. 

The  present  Supreme  Chieftains  are  :  — 

Supreme  Chieftain,  THOMAS  K.  DONNALLEY,  Pennsylvania, 

ist  Vice  Supreme  Chieftain,  JOSEPH  PYLE,  Delaware. 

2d  Vice  Supreme  Chieftain,  WILLIAM  G.  MOCK,  Pennsylvania. 

Sitting  Past  Supreme  Chieftain,      E.  S.  BORTEL,  Pennsylvania. 

Supreme  Recorder,  THOMAS  D.  TANNER,  Pennsylvania. 

Supreme  Treasurer,  GEORGE  B.  COLFLESH,  Maryland. 

Supreme  Messenger,  C.  J.  VAUGHAN,  Georgia. 

Supreme  Sentinel,  W.  E.  DAVIS.  Iowa. 

Major  General,  CHARLES  F.  TUPPER,  New  York. 

The  information  concerning  the  Chieftains'  League  herein 
presented,  is  furnished  through  the  kindness  of  Supreme  Re- 


604 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED   MEN. 


corder  Thomas  D.  Tanner.  He  further  reports  the  present 
condition  of  the  League  as  very  encouraging.  Wherever  public 
display  has  been  made  of  the  handsome  uniform  adopted,  the 
result  has  been  beneficial,  both  to  the  League  and  to  the  Order. 
With  proper  support  on  the  part  of  the  members  of  the  Order, 
there  is  every  reason  to  hope  that  the  National  Chieftains' 
League  will  prove  itself  a  valuable  adjunct  to  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  DEGREES  OF  THE  ORDER.  —  THE  THEORY  OF  THEIR 
CONSTRUCTION. THE  LESSONS  TAUGHT. 

NEARLY  all  fraternal  and  benevolent  organizations  have 
certain  ceremonies,  forms  of  initiation,  or  methods  by  which 
the  uninformed  are  brought  into  full  fellowship,  and  the  society 
made  secure  from  intrusion.  These  forms  and  ceremonies 
comprise  the  ritualistic  work,  and  connected  with  them  is 
usually  a  sign  language  by  which  the  affiliated  can  be  known 
to  each  other,  even  if  speaking  different  languages. 

Whether  these  ritualistic  ceremonies  symbolize  the  building 
of  a  temple,  the  valor,  struggles,  and  martyrdom  of  the  Cru- 
saders, the  friendship  of  Jonathan  and  David,  the  constancy  of 
Damon  and  Pythias,  or  whatever  may  be  the  lesson  they  seek 
to  teach,  all  claim  to  preach  and  secure  the  practice  of  the 
great  principles  of  human  brotherhood,  and  to  bring  about 
the  realization,  as  far  as  possible  by  human  agency,  of  the 
Fatherhood  of  God  and  the  Brotherhood  of  Man. 

While  great  age  may  be  claimed  for  other  organizations,  and 
attempts  made,  with  greater  or  less  success,  to  trace  their  origin 
to  the  dim  traditions  of  the  past,  to  a  time  when  the  memory  of 
man  runneth  not  to  the  contrary,  it  seems  sufficient  for  our 
claim  to  establish  the  fact  that  the  ritualistic  work  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  like  its  origin,  is  purely  Ameri- 
can. It  stands,  and  must  ever  stand,  original,  unique,  and 
distinct,  growing  more  instead  of  less  valuable  and  interesting 
with  the  lapse  of  time,  and  eventually  giving  to  posterity  its 
only  realistic  demonstration  of  those  mystic  ceremonies  known 
only  in  the  record  of  the  past,  and  which  must  otherwise  fade 
into  oblivion.  Founded,  as  has  been  said,  on  the  manners, 
traditions,  and  customs  of  the  Aborigines  of  the  American 
continent,  it  portrays  an  existence  more  fascinating  the  more 

605 


606  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED   MEN. 

studied,  the  most  interesting  when  most  faithfully  portrayed. 
It  is  a  record  which  will  give  to  future  generations  their  only 
knowledge  of  the  manners  and  customs  of  that  race  as  prac- 
tised in  their  sylvan  home,  and  by  which  their  people  were 
bound  together  in  the  strong  bonds  of  amity  and  love. 

The  work  of  the  Order  is  divided  into  four  sections  or 
degrees,  —  Adoption,  Hunter's,  Warrior's,  and  Chief's,  —  each 
of  which  illustrates  a  phase  of  Indian  character,  custom,  or 
ceremonies. 

Commencing  with  the  Adoption  (or  initiation)  degree,  the 
ceremony  exemplifies  the  ancient  form  of  adoption,  or  naturali- 
zation, used  by  the  primitive  Red  Men.  Concerning  this,  in 
his  admirable  work  descriptive  of  the  League  of  the  Iroquois, 
Mr.  Lewis  H.  Morgan  says:  — 

"The  Iroquois  never  exchanged  prisoners  with  Indian  nations,  nor  ever 
sought  to  reclaim  their  own  people  from  captivity  among  them.  Adoption 
or  torture  were  the  alternative  chances  of  the  captive.  If  adopted,  the  alle- 
giance and  affections  of  the  captive  were  transferred  to  his  adopted  nation. 
When  the  Indian  went  forth  to  war,  he  emphatically  took  his  life  in  his  hand, 
knowing  that  if  he  was  taken  it  would  be  forfeited  by  the  laws  of  war ;  and  if 
saved  by  adoption,  his  country,  at  least,  was  lost  forever.  From  the  founda- 
tion of  the  Confederacy,  the  custom  of  adoption  has  prevailed  among  the 
Iroquois,  who  carried  this  principle  farther  than  any  other  Indian  nations. 
It  was  not  confined  to  captives  alone,  but  was  extended  to  fragments  of 
dismembered  tribes,  and  even  to  the  admission  of  independent  nations  into 
the  League.  It  was  a  leading  feature  of  their  policy  to  subdue  adjacent 
nations  by  conquest,  and  having  absorbed  them  by  naturalization,  to  mould 
them  into  one  common  family  with  themselves.  The  fruit  of  this  system  of 
policy  was  their  gradual  elevation  to  a  universal  supremacy,  —  a  supremacy 
which  was  spreading  so  rapidly  at  the  epoch  of  their  discovery  as  to  threaten 
the  subjugation  of  all  the  nations  east  of  the  Mississippi. 

"A  regular  ceremony  of  adoption  was  performed  in  each  case  to  complete 
the  naturalization.  With  captives  this  ceremony  was  the  gauntlet,  after 
which  new  names  were  assigned  to  them ;  and  at  the  next  religious  festival 
their  names,  together  with  the  tribe  and  family  into  which  they  were  respec- 
tively adopted,  were  publicly  announced.  Upon  the  return  of  a  war  party 
with  captives,  if  they  had  lost  any  of  their  own  number  in  the  expedition,  the 
families  to  which  these  belonged  were  first  allowed  an  opportunity  to  supply 
from  the  captives  the  places  made  vacant  in  their  households.  Any  family 
could  then  adopt  out  of  the  residue  any  who  chanced  to  attract  their  favorable 
notice,  or  whom  they  wished  to  save.  At  the  time  appointed,  which  was 
usually  three  or  four  days  after  the  return  of  the  band,  the  women  and  chil- 
dren of  the  village  arranged  themselves  in  two  parallel  rows  just  without  the 


THE  DEGREES   OF  THE    ORDER.  607 

place,  each  one  having  a  whip  with  which  to  lash  the  captives  as  they  passed 
between  the  lines.  The  male  captives,  who  alone  were  required  to  undergo 
this  test  of  their  powers  of  endurance,  were  bro'ught  out,  and  each  one  was 
shown  in  turn  the  house  in  which  he  was  to  take  refuge,  and  which  was  to  be 
his  future  home,  if  he  passed  successfully  through  the  ordeal.  They  were 
then  taken  to  the  head  of  this  long  avenue  of  whips,  and  were  compelled, 
one  after  another,  to  run  through  it  for  their  lives,  and  for  the  entertainment 
of  the  surrounding  throng,  exposed  at  every  step,  undefended,  and  with  naked 
backs,  to  the  merciless  inflictions  of  the  whip.  Those  who  fell  from  exhaus- 
tion were  immediately  despatched  as  unworthy  to  be  saved ;  but  those  who 
emerged  in  safety  from  this  test  of  their  physical  energies  were  from  that 
moment  treated  with  the  utmost  affection  and  kindness. 

"Not  only  so,  but  he  was  received  into  the  family  into  which  he  was 
adopted  with  all  the  cordiality  of  affection,  and  into  all  the  relations  of  the 
one  whose  place  he  was  henceforth  to  fill.  By  these  means  all  recollections 
of  his  distant  kindred  were  gradually  effaced,  bound  as  he  was  by  gratitude 
to  those  who  had  restored  a  life  which  was  forfeited  by  the  usages  of  war. 
If  a  captive,  after  adoption,  became  discontented,  which  is  said  to  have 
been  seldom  the  case,  he  was  sometimes  restored,  with  presents,  to  his 
nation,  that  they  might  know  he  had  lost  nothing  by  his  captivity  among 
them." 

The  ceremony  of  Adoption  by  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men  is  typical  of  the  form  of  naturalization  or  Adoption  above 
described.  The  paleface  nation  is  the  great  field  from  which 
recruits  are  obtained.  After  they  have  been  adopted  by  the 
Tribe,  they  are  supposed  to  be  bound  to  the  Order  by  the  ties 
of  gratitude,  and  to  become  active  agents  in  the  administration 
of  its  benevolence  and  charity. 

The  Hunter's  Degree  is  intended  to  illustrate  the  manners 
and  customs  of  the  primitive  Red  Men  governing  the  chase. 
The  hunters  provided  sustenance  for  the  tribe.  They  were 
skilful,  and  rarely  returned  from  the  hunt  without  an  abun- 
dance of  game,  the  result  of  the  chase.  In  this  connection 
Mr.  Morgan  says :  "  Hunting  was  a  passion  with  the  Red  Man. 
He  pursued  it  for  the  excitement  and  employment  it  afforded 
as  well  as  for  subsistence,  frequently  making  long  and  toilsome 
expeditions." 

By  the  Warrior's  Degree  is  illustrated  the  manner  of  enlist- 
ments for  war. 

Mr.  Morgan's  description  of  the  usages  in  the  League  of  the 
Iroquois  is  very  interesting  in  this  connection.  He  says :  — 


6o8  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

"After  war  had  been  declared  against  any  nation,  either  by  the  congress 
of  sachems  at  Onondaga,  or  by  an  individual  nation  against  a  neighboring 
enemy,  the  existence  of  the  war  was  indicated  by  a  tomahawk  painted  red, 
ornamented  with  red  feathers  and  with  black  wampum,  struck  in  the  war-post 
in  each  village  of  the  League.  Any  person  was  then  at  liberty  to  organize 
a  band  and  make  an  invasion.  This  was  effected  in  a  summary  manner. 
Dressed  in  full  costume,  the  war-chief  who  proposed  to  solicit  volunteers  and 
conduct  the  expedition  went  through  the  village  sounding  the  war-whoop  to 
announce  his  intentions ;  after  which  he  went  to  the  war-post,  Ga-on-dote, 
and  having  struck  into  it  his  red  tomahawk,  he  commenced  the  war-dance. 
A  group  gathered  around  him,  and,  as  their  martial  ardor  was  aroused  by  the 
dance,  they  enlisted,  one  after  the  other,  by  joining  in  its  performance.  In 
this  manner  a  company  was  soon  formed ;  the  matrons  of  the  village  pre- 
pared their  subsistence  while  the  dance  was  performing,  and  at  its  close, 
while  they  were  yet  filled  with  enthusiasm  for  the  enterprise,  they  immediately 
left  the  village,  and  turned  their  footsteps  towards  the  country  of  the  enemy. 
If  the  movement  was  simultaneous  in  several  villages,  these  parties  joined  each 
other  on  their  march,  but  each  band  continued  under  the  direction  of  its  own 
war-chief.  Their  subsistence  was  usually  charred  corn,  parched  a  second 
time,  pounded  into  fine  flour,  and  mixed  with  maple-sugar,  thus  reducing  it 
in  bulk  and  lightness  to  such  a  degree  that  the  warrior  could  carry  without 
inconvenience  in  his  bear-skin  pocket  a  sufficient  supply  for  a  long  and 
perilous  expedition.  The  band  took  the  war-path  in  single  file,  and  moved 
with  such  rapidity  that  it  was  but  five  days'  journey  to  the  country  of  the 
Cherokees,  upon  the  southern  banks  of  the  Tennessee.  At  their  night 
encampments  they  cut  upon  the  trees  certain  devices  to  indicate  their  num- 
bers and  destination.  On  their  return  they  did  the  same,  showing  also  the 
number  of  captives  and  the  number  slain.  When  the  returning  party  reached 
the  outskirts  of  their  village,  they  sounded  the  war-whoop  to  announce  their 
approach,  and  to  summon  the  people  to  assemble  for  their  reception.  Then 
leading  their  captives,  they  entered  the  village  in  a  dancing  procession,  as 
they  had  shortly  before  gone  out.  After  they  had  reached  the  war-post  in 
the  centre  of  the  place,  a  wise-man  addressed  them  in  a  speech  of  welcome 
and  congratulation ;  in  reply  to  which  a  speech  was  made  by  one  of  the 
t>and,  descriptive  of  their  adventures,  after  which  the  war-dance  was  again 
employed." 

By  the  Chief's  Degree  is  illustrated  the  religious  forms  and 
ceremonies  of  the  Indians.  The  Indians  believed  in  a  multi- 
tude of  spirits,  good  and  evil.  Over  and  above  these,  supreme 
in  power  and  control,  was  the  Great  Spirit,  who  ruled  the  world 
through  the  agency  of  the  inferior  spirits  of  His  own  creation, 
to  whom  He  entrusted  the  immediate  supervision  of  the  various 
works  of  nature.  Their  mythology  abounds  with  beautiful 
legends,  illustrative  at  once  of  their  superstition  and  of  their 


THE  DEGREES   OF  THE    ORDER.  609 

unbounded  faith  in  the  Great  Spirit  and  the  immortality  of  the 
soul.  Among  the  Iroquois,  at  least,  reverence  for  the  aged  was 
also  one  of  the  precepts  of  the  ancient  faith.  "  It  is  the  will  of 
the  Great  Spirit  that  you  reverence  the  aged,  even  though  they 
be  as  helpless  as  infants."  The  obedience  of  children,  kindness 
to  the  orphan,  hospitality  to  all,  and  a  common  brotherhood, 
were  among  the  doctrines  held  up  by  their  religious  instructors. 
These  precepts  were  taught  as  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit,  and 
obedience  to  their  requirements  as  acceptable  in  His  sight.  "  If 
you  tie  up  the  clothes  of  an  orphan  child,  the  Great  Spirit  will 
notice  it  and  reward  you  for  it."  "To  adopt  orphans  and 
bring  them  up  in  virtuous  ways,  is  pleasing  to  the  Great  Spirit." 
"  If  a  stranger  wander  about  your  abode,  welcome  him  to  your 
home,  be  hospitable  towards  him,  speak  to  him  with  kind 
words,  and  forget  not  always  to  mention  the  Great  Spirit." 

In  making  these  quotations  from  the  admirable  work  of 
Mr.  Morgan,  it  is  difficult  to  refrain  from  still  further  extracts ; 
but  in  another  part  of  this  history,  wherein  is  given  an  outline 
of  the  characteristics  of  the  Indian  race,  and  more  especially 
the  treatment,  management,  and  discipline  of  the  League  of 
the  Iroquois,  we  have  not  hesitated  to  avail  ourselves  to  the 
fullest  extent  of  the  mine  of  wealth  provided  by  his  research 
and  ability. 

By  the  description  thus  given  of  the  theory  upon  which  the 
ritualistic  work  has  been  prepared,  the  reader  will  be  convinced 
that  for  originality,  beauty,  and  dramatic  effect  it  is  unequalled 
by  the  ritualistic  work  of  any  fraternal  organization.  In  its 
exemplification  it  admits  of  a  high  order  of  dramatic  talent,  and 
when  properly  rendered  cannot  fail  to  make  a  pleasing  and 
lasting  impression  upon  the  mind  of  the  paleface  adopted. 

In  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas,  of  necessity  the  ideal  Indian 
princess  has  been  exemplified  rather  than  the  matter-of-fact, 
prosaic  Indian  squaw.  The  Indian  regarded  woman  as  an 
inferior  being.  She  was  for  most  purposes  a  beast  of  burden. 
It  was  regarded  as  beneath  the  dignity  of  a  warrior  to  labor, 
and  most  of  the  drudgery  of  the  camp  fell  to  the  lot  of  the 
women.  The  legend  of  Pocahontas  and  the  virtues  of  her  life 
have  been  taken  as  the  basis  for  the  ideal  ceremony  used  by  the 
Degree  of  Pocahontas.  Iconoclasts  would  make  us  believe  that 


6io 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 


such  a  being  as  Pocahontas  never  existed.  One  by  one  the 
legends  of  our  childhood  days  are  destroyed,  and  after  awhile 
existence  itself  will  be  but  a  dream.  Yet  we  love  to  linger  over 
these  beautiful  traditions,  and  among  them  none  is  sweeter, 
purer,  brighter,  and  better  than  that  which  gives  us  the  history 
of  Pocahontas,  the  Indian  princess.  The  adventures  of  Captain 
Smith,  who  was  one  of  the  colonists  that  settled  at  James- 
town, Va.,  in  1607,  are  familiar  to  all.  He  had  intelligence, 
tact,  and  indomitable  courage,  and  yet  these  would  not  have 
availed  to  secure  for  the  colonists  a  permanent  footing  "  had  it 
not  been  for  the  interposing  humanity  of  the  Princess  Poca- 
hontas, who,  at  the  moment  when  the  uplifted  club  was  about 
to  execute  its  commission  of  death,  threw  herself  upon  'the 
bound  victim,  and  by  the  eloquence  of  her  looks,  her  tears,  and 
her  language  softened  her  father's  heart,  arrested,  and  turned 
aside  the  blow." 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

NOMENCLATURE    OF    THE    ORDER. 

THE  paleface  adopted  into  our  Order  witnesses  many  things 
which  to  him  seem  strange  and  startling,  until  their  meaning  is 
explained  and  more  clearly  understood  as  he  advances  through 
the  various  degrees.  Not  only  are  the  ceremonies  original,  in 
everything  unlike  those  of  any  other  organization,  but  he  notices 
a  peculiar  nomenclature  in  the  terms  used  to  describe  the  trans- 
actions of  the  organization.  He  is  a  member  of  a  Tribe,  not  a 
Lodge ;  he  attends  a  council,  not  a  meeting ;  time  is  marked  by 
suns,  seven  suns,  moons,  and  great  snns,  not  by  days,  weeks, 
months,  years ;  he  assists  in  kindling  and  quenching  the  coun- 
cil fire,  not  in  opening  and  closing  the  meeting;  he  uses  fath- 
oms, feet,  and  inches  of  wampum  to  pay  his  dues,  not  dollars, 
dimes,  and  cents  of  money.  The  use  of  these  terms,  he  soon 
learns,  has  a  meaning  and  significance  which  he  desires  to  know. 
It  is  fitting,  therefore,  that  the  concluding  chapter  of  our  His- 
tory should  give  brief  attention  to  this  interesting  phase  of  our 
Order,  and  what  here  follows  will  show  that  in  this,  as  in  all  else 
practicable,  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  follows  closely  its 
primitive  prototypes,  and  thereby  assists  in  perpetuating  what 
might  otherwise  sink  into  oblivion. 

We  have  already  shown  that,  in  those  earlier  societies  from 
which  we  trace  our  origin,  the  personal  identity  of  the  members 
was  concealed  in  the  names  given  to  them  upon  being  adopted 
into  the  Order.  This  custom  exists  among  the  Red  Men  of  the 
present  time.  The  adopted  name  of  "  Split  Log,"  assumed  by 
Generalissimo  Francis  Shallus,  in  the  Society  of  Red  Men,  is  a 
counterpart  of  "  Sitting  Bull,"  "  White  Cloud,"  and  other  names 
among  the  Red  Men  of  the  plains  familiar  in  contemporaneous 
history.  Much  of  the  difficulty  in  identifying  the  individuals 
composing  the  membership  of  the  Society  of  Red  Men  results 

611 


6l2  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

from  the  fact  that  almost  invariably  they  are  referred  to  on  the 
Minute  Book  by  the  name  given  to  them  on  the  sleep  of  their 
adoption.  Where  these  are  names  of  persons  admitted  after 
1822,  the  Minute  Book  gives  the  proper  name  of  the  newly  ad- 
mitted brother  and  the  name  assigned  him  at  adoption.  The 
same  care  was  not  observed  in  the  Muster  Rolls  that  have  been 
preserved,  covering  the  admissions  for  the  period  prior  to  1821. 

The  proper  names  given  to  Indians  were  usually  taken  from 
animals  of  various  kinds,  and  even  fishes  and  reptiles,  such  as 
Beaver,  Otter,  Black  Fish,  Rattlesnake,  etc.  They  had  also 
other  descriptive  names  suggested  by  personal  qualities,  and 
sometimes  given  from  fancy  or  caprice.  As  we  have  said,  they 
did  not  always  preserve  the  names  first  given  to  them,  but  often 
assumed  a  new  name  after  coming  to  maturity.  These  names 
expressed  some  meritorious  act,  or  remarkable  circumstance,  in 
the  life  of  the  holder. 

So  in  relation  to  localities,  the  name  was  eminently  descrip- 
tive. The  name  they  had  for  the  place  where  Philadelphia  now 
stands,  and  which  was  the  name  taken  by  Tribe  No.  4,  organ- 
ized in  that  city,  was  Kiiequenaku,  which  means  the  "  Grove  of 
the  Long  Pine  Trees." 

To  the  white  men  they  met,  they  gave  names  derived  from 
some  remarkable  quality  which  they  observed  in  them,  or  from 
some  circumstance  which  strikingly  engaged  their  attention. 
When  told  the  meaning  of  the  name  of  William  Penn,  they 
translated  it  into  their  own  language  by  Miquon,  which  means 
a  feather  or  quill.  The  Iroquois  called  him  Onas,  which,  in  their 
idiom,  meant  the  same  thing.  The  first  name  given  by  the 
Indians  to  the  Europeans  who  landed  in  Virginia,  was  Wapsid 
Lenape,  meaning  "  White  People."  When  the  Europeans  began 
to  commit  murders  on  the  Red  Men,  whom  they  pierced  with 
swords,  they  received  the  name  of  Mechanschican,  "  Long 
Knives,"  to  distinguish  them  from  others  of  the  same  color.  The 
English  settlers  in  New  England  were  called  Yengees,  in  the 
endeavor  to  imitate  the  sound  of  English.  They  were  also 
called  Chanquanquock,  "Men  of  Knives,"  because  of  the  pres- 
ents of  these  instruments  given  to  the  natives.  But  after  some 
of  the  Indians  had  been  shipped  to  sea,  and  when  the  people  of 
the  middle  colonies  began  to  murder  them,  and  call  on  the  Iro- 


NOMENCLATURE   OF  THE   ORDER.  613 

quois  to  insult  them,  and  assist  in  depriving  them  of  their  lands, 
they  were  called  Schwannack,  which  signifies  "salt  beings,"  or 
"bitter  beings,"  but  they  were  very  careful  not  to  use  that  term 
of  contempt  and  hatred  against  any  white  person  whom  they 
knew  to  be  amicably  disposed  towards  them,  and  honest  and 
well-meaning.  The  Englishman,  to  distinguish  him  from  the 
Yengees  and  the  Mechanschican,  was  called  Saggenash.  Thus, 
could  we  understand  the  proper  translation  of  each  Indian  word, 
we  would  find  it  an  absolute  and  correct  delineation  of  some 
peculiarity  of  action,  motion,  or  deportment,  or  dress,  of  those 
whom  it  meant  to  designate  or  describe.  Probably  no  more 
expressive  illustration  of  Indian  word-painting  can  be  given 
than  in  the  title  by  which  the  great  Delaware  nation  was 
known,  Lenni  Lenape.  Lenape  signifies  "  man,  nation,  or  peo- 
ple." In  the  name  Lenni  Lenape,  the  word  Lenni  means  "orig- 
inal," hence  Lenni  Lenape,  "  Original  People  !  " 

"The  words  squaw,  sachem,  tomahawk,  and  wigwam,  "  says 
Heckewelder,  "  are  corruptions  by  the  English  from  the  words 
of  Delaware  stock."  Ochqueu  was  the  Delaware  word  for 
woman  ;  Sakima,  for  chief ;  Tamahican,  for  hatchet ;  Wickwam 
(both  syllables  long  as  in  English  weekwawm),  a  house.  Calu- 
met, according  to  the  same  authority,  is  not  an  Indian  word. 
The  Delaware  for  tobacco  pipe  is  Poakan,  pronounced  as  two 
syllables.  Wampum  is  an  Iroquois  word,  and  means  marine 
shell.  Papoose  was  used  by  the  Indians  of  New  England  to 
designate  a  child. 

The  Indians  generally,  but  their  chiefs  more  particularly, 
had  many  figurative  expressions,  understood  when  one  nation 
spoke  to  another,  but  needing  explanation  when  an  Indian  spoke 
to  the  white  people.  For  the  purpose  of  a  proper  understand- 
ing, as  we  have  already  explained,  the  subject  was  "talked  into" 
a  wampum  belt  which,  therefore,  became  a  necessary  adjunct 
to  the  communication. 

The  language  of  the  Indian  was  eminently  mystical.  Each 
sentence,  and  sometimes  each  expression,  was  a  word-picture. 
A  runner  sent  with  a  message  of  importance  of  a  private  nature, 
was  told  to  take  it  "  under  ground,"  that  expression  being  made 
to  indicate  that  no  one,  except  the  person  for  whom  it  was 
intended,  should  know  of  it.  No  chief  paid  attention  to  a  mere 


6 14          IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  RED  MEM. 

report,  even  though  it  bore  the  evidence  of  truth.  Not  having 
come  to  him  officially,  he  considered  that  he  had  not  heard  of 
it,  and  that  it  was  to  him  as  the  "song  of  a  bird  which  had  flown 
by."  When  he  was  officially  informed,  through  the  wampum 
belt  sent  by  some  distant  chief  or  leading  man  of  the  nation, 
whose  position  entitled  him  to  credit,  he  then  declared  "  I  have 
heard  it,"  and  acted  accordingly. 

The  expression  in  the  preceding  sentence  recalls  to  our 
memory  how  often  in  childhood's  days  we  wondered  how  our 
parents  could  have  obtained  knowledge  of  matters  which  we 
thought  none  knew  but  ourselves.  The  answer  to  our  query 
as  to  the  source  of  the  information  usually  was,  "  I  heard  a  bird 
sing ! " 

The  Indian  was  fond  of  metaphor,  and  the  samples  of  his 
eloquence  which  have  come  down  to  us  abound  in  metaphorical 
expressions.  We  have  already  referred  to  that  beautiful  meta- 
phor used  ;to  designate  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War, 
"The  Great  Spirit  spoke  and  the  whirlwind  was  still."  Hecke- 
welder,  in  his  "  Indian  Nations,"  published  at  the  beginning  of 
the  present  century,  gives  many  interesting  examples  from 
which  we  extract  the  following :  — 

"Two  black  clouds  are  drawing  towards  each  other."  —  Two 
powerful  foes  are  marching  against  each  other. 

"  To  bury  the  hatchet."  —  To  make  or  conclude  a  peace. 

"You  have  spoken  with  your  lips,  not  from  the  heart."  — 
You  do  not  intend  to  do  as  you  say. 

"You  keep  me  in  the  dark."    -  You  wish  to  deceive  me. 

"  Singing  birds."  —  Tale-bearers. 

"Don't  listen  to  the  singing  of  the  birds."  —  Don't  believe 
what  stragglers  tell  you. 

"What  bird  was  it  that  sung  that  song?" — Who  was  it 
that  told  that  lie.  ? 

"To  kindle  a  council  fire  at  such  a  place."  -To  appoint 
a  place  where  national  business  is  to  be  transacted  or  the  seat 
of  government  established. 

"To  remove  the  council  fire  to  another  place."  —  To  estab- 
lish another  place  for  the  seat  of  government. 

"The  council  fire  has  been  extinguished."  —  Blood  has  been 
shed  by  the  enemy  at  the  seat  of  government  which  has  put  the 
fire  out. 


NOMENCLATURE    OF  THE    ORDER.  615 

"Never  suffer  grass  to  grow  on  this  warpath."  —  Be  at 
perpetual  war  with  the  nation  ;  this  path  leads  to  it. 

"The  path  to  that  nation  is  again  open."  —  We  are  again 
on  friendly  terms. 

"  I  hear  sighing  and  sobbing  in  yonder  direction,"  indicates 
that  a  chief  of  a  neighboring  nation  has  died. 

"  I  wipe  the  tears  from  your  eyes,  cleanse  your  ears,  and 
place  your  aching  heart  which  bears  you  down  to  one  side,  in 
its  proper  position."  -  Consolation  in  time  of  great  sorrow,  as 
when  condoling  with  a  nation  on  the  death  of  a  chief. 

"  I  lift  you  up  from  this  place  and  set  you  down  again  at  my 
dwelling  place." — I  invite  you  to  arise  hence  and  come  and 
live  where  I  live. 

"We  have  concluded  a  peace  which  shall  last  as  long  as  the 
sun  shall  shine  and  the  river  flows  with  water."  —  The  peace 
concluded  is  to  continue  as  long  as  the  world  stands  or  to  the 
end  of  time. 

"  To  bury  deep  in  the  earth." — To  consign  to  oblivion  an 
injury  done. 

We  are  told  that  the  Red  Men  divided  the  year  into  13 
periods,  or  moons,  corresponding  to  the  old  Persian  year,  and 
that  this  was  the  greatest  astronomical  accuracy  attained  by  the 
primitive  Red  Men.  The  Indian  did  not  reckon  as  we  do,  by 
days,  but  by  nights.  Upon  departing  on  a  journey,  he  would 
say,  "  I  will  return  home  in  so  many  nights."  Sometimes, 
pointing  to  the  heavens,  he  would  say,  "  You  will  see  me  when 
the  sun  stands  there,"  and  unless  prevented  by  something  ab- 
solutely beyond  his  control,  he  invariably  returned  at  the  time 
set. 

The  Leni  Lenape  divided  their  year  into  four  parts  like  ours, 
spring,  summer,  autumn,  and  winter.  The  different  nations 
had  different  names  for  the  moons,  generally  suited  to  the  cli- 
mate under  which  they  respectively  lived.  The  Lenape,  when 
they  owned  the  country  bordering  on  the  Atlantic,  called  the 
month  of  March  the  Shad  moon,  because  the  fish  began  to  pass 
from  the  sea  into  the  fresh-water  rivers  to  lay  its  spawn  at  that 
time.  But  there  being  no  fish  in  the  country  to  which  they 
afterwards  removed,  they  changed  the  name  of  the  month  and 
called  it  the  Running  sap,  or  the  Sugar-making  moon,  because 


616  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

at  that  time  the  sap  of  the  maple  tree,  from  which  sugar  is 
made,  begins  to  run.  December  was  called  the  Hunting  moon, 
it  being  the  time  when  the  stags  had  all  dropped  their  antlers 
or  horns. 

The  Calendar  published  in  Chapter  XIII  shows  how  the 
Order  follows  this  custom,  and  the  names  assigned  to  the  vari- 
ous months  in  the  chronology  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men.  The  careful  and  accurate  member  of  the  Order,  desiring 
to  preserve  the  individuality  and  originality  of  our  literature, 
will  always  use  the  terms  as  given  in  the  Calendar,  all  of  which 
have  a  meaning  and  significance.  Nor  will  he  pervert  signifi- 
cant words  and  expressions  by  using  them  improperly,  or  by 
substituting  other  words  with  an  application  entirely  foreign  to 
the  use  to  which  they  are  put.  For  instance,  how  often  do  some 
brothers  say,  "Our  Tribe  scalped  several  palefaces  at  its  last 
council ! "  The  primitive  Red  Man  scalped  an  enemy,  not  a 
friend.  Again,  with  proper  care  in  acquiring  the  terms  used 
in  the  Calendar,  it  is  just  as  convenient  and  far  more  appropri- 
ate to  say,  "  Our  Tribe  kindled  its  council  fire  on  the  sleep  of 
the  1 7th  of  this  moon,"  as  to  say  (within  the  Order  and  at  a 
council),  "Our  Lodge  held  a  meeting  on  the  i/th  of  this 
month  ! "  The  extracts  we  have  given  from  the  Minute  Book 
of  1822-1827,  and  the  references  to  the  earlier  Tammany  Soci- 
eties, show  how  careful  our  predecessors  were  in  the  proper  use 
of  these  terms.  Let  us  emulate  them  in  accuracy  in  the  proper 
use  of  the  nomenclature  of  our  Order. 

Our  rivers,  mountains,  lakes,  and  towns  bear  to  all  coming 
time,  indelibly  impressed  upon  them  by  their  titles,  the  beauti- 
ful nomenclature  of  the  primitive  Red  Man.  Nothing  escaped 
his  keen  vision  and  watchful  observation.  The  Indian  who  in 
the  solitude  of  the  forest  could  identify  the  unseen  animal,  by  a 
difference  in  footfall  imperceptible  to  the  untrained  ear  of  the 
white  man,  could  not  fail  to  be  duly  impressed  with  the  beauty 
and  grandeur  of  the  mighty  works  of  nature  by  which  he  was 
surrounded.  He  gave  them  names  which  signified  his  rever- 
ence or  fear,  his  pleasure  or  admiration,  or  which  gave  his  idea 
of  some  prominent  peculiarity  for  which  the  object  named  was 
notable.  Wherever  the  hidden  meaning  of  these  names  has 
been  revealed,  their  remarkable  aptness  has  been  manifest,  as 


NOMENCLATURE    OF  THE    ORDER.  617 

the  few  examples  mentioned  in  this  chapter  and  history  prove. 
They  indicate  a  quality  of  mind  that  justifies  an  appreciation  of 
the  Indian  (at  least  of  former  days)  far  above  the  plane  usually 
accorded  him  in  modern  times.  We  should  judge  him  as  he 
was,  not  as  he  is.  He  was  what  he  made  himself,  guided  only 
by  the  light,  as  he  saw  it,  that  came  from  the  Great  Spirit.  He 
is  the  result  of  three  centuries  of  cruel  wrong,  treachery,  and 
oppression  which  have  decimated  and  degraded  his  race,  but 
have  been  unable  to  tame  or  conquer  his  peculiarities  and  char- 
acteristics. 

Let  not  the  paleface  arrogate  to  himself  too  much  of  credit 
for  his  superiority.  He  is  but  the  evolution  of  the  condition  of 
barbarism  from  which  he  emerged,  or  the  simian  ancestry  from 
which  he  ascended.  Yet,  with  all  his  learning  and  boasted 
civilization,  he  has  been  unable  to  conceive  a  more  sublime  or 
beautiful  image  of  the  Divine  Power  than  that  reverently 
acknowledged  and  worshipped  by  the  Indian  as  the  Great 
Spirit. 

"  We  bow  to  Heaven's  recorded  laws, 
He  turned  to  nature  for  a  creed." 

In  the  solitude  of  the  forest,  in  the  majesty  of  the  mighty 
mountain  ranges,  and  in  the  great  lakes  and  rivers  of  our  land, 
he  saw  evidence  of  the  power  of  that  Great  Spirit,  and  the 
imagery  of  his  spoken  language  translated  the  conception  of  his 
mind  concerning  the  mysterious  forces  by  which  he  was  sur- 
rounded. The  rivers  and  great  waters  of  the  deep,  utilized  by 
the  palefaces  for  bearing  upon  their  bosoms  the  burdens  of 
men,  were  to  him  evidences  of  that  mysterious  power  which 
spoke  in  the  thunder  and  flashed  in  the  lightning,  and  whose 
good-will  he  sought  to  gain  by  the  council  and  dance  that  pre- 
ceded every  great  undertaking.  The  vast  forests,  beneath 
whose  protecting  branches  he  found  shelter  from  the  elements, 
by  the  animal  life  which  they  contained,  gave  him  sustenance 
for  himself  and  his  -tribe.  There  was  a  sweet  and  rhythmic 
beauty  in  many  of  the  names  and  terms  he  used,  some  of  which 
have  been  sung  in  song  and  told  in  story  until  they  have  become 
household  words  with  the  people  of  the  world.  Longfellow  has 
immortalized  many  of  them  in  his  beautiful  poem  of  Hiawatha 


6l8  IMPROVED    ORDER    OF  RED  MEN. 

and  the  love  story  of  Minnehaha.  We  acknowledge  their  apt- 
ness, their  beauty,  and  their  appropriateness  by  retaining  them. 
But  they  expressed  to  the  Indian  a  meaning  and  a  significance 
impossible  with  us,  and  they  were  a  part  of  the  homage  always 
rendered  by  him  to  the  Great  Spirit  whose  power  they  realized 
in  the  glory  of  the  night,  the  foliage  of  the  forest,  and  the 
splendor  of  the  noon-day  sun  ! 

Throughout  this  History  prominence  has  been  given  constantly 
to  the  thought  that  our  Order  is  founded  on  the  customs  of  the 
Aborigines  of  the  American  continent.  To  those  who  love  the 
Order  best,  not  the  least  of  its  attractions,  not  the  least  of 
the  reasons  why  it  should  appeal  to  the  sentiment  and  support 
of  palefaces  and  its  members,  is  that  feature  which  preserves 
with  historical  accuracy  the  nomenclature  and  peculiarities  of 
the  Indian  race.  This  chapter  has  shown  something  of  that 
nomenclature,  and  other  chapters  have  recorded  some  of  those 
peculiarities. 

The  value  of  the  ceremonies  of  our  Order,  therefore,  is  their 
historical  accuracy.  They  seek  not  merely  to  imitate,  but  to 
'  preserve.  When  the  time  comes  that  the  Indian  race  is  extinct, 
our  Order  will  occupy  a  place  original  and  unique,  growing  more 
interesting  as  years  pass  on,  and  becoming  at  once  the  inter- 
preter of  Indian  customs  and  the  repository  of  Indian  traditions. 

Could  a  higher  destiny  await  any  organization?  Could  a 
higher  ambition  inspire  its  members,  than  to  emulate  the 
virtues,  preserve  the  customs,  and  transmit  to  posterity  the 
history  of  an  extinct  race  ?  Such  is  our  destiny.  Let  such  be 
our  ambition.  That  the  destiny  may  be  fulfilled  and  the  ambi- 
tion realized,  is  the  sincere  wish  and  belief  of  the  compilers, 
publishers,  and  editor  of  this  History  of  the  Improved  Order  of 
Red  Men,  dedicated  to  the  dissemination  of  the  principles  of 
Freedom,  Friendship,  and  Charity  throughout  the  Order  to  all 
its  worthy  members  ! 


INDEX. 


A. 

Act  of  Incorporation,  G.  C.  U.  S.,  323,  504,  505. 

Adams,  Samuel,  155. 

Additional  Contributors,  3. 

Advent  of  the  Pilgrims,  24. 

Aged  and  Infirm  Members,  Repo't  of  Committee 
on, 382-384. 

Alabama,  342,  345,  347,  353,  359,  394,  395,  404, 
496,  407,  439. 

AMERICAN  INDIANS: 

Description  of,  25:  wigwam  of,  26;  Medicine 
Man,  27;  burial  of  dead,  it. ;  reverence  for 
the  aged,  28  ;  division  of  time,  ib. ;  belief  in 
the  Great  Spirit,  29;  marriage  customs,  30; 
government  of,  ib.,  31,  32;  League  of  the  Iro- 
quois,  ib.,  33-37;  laws  of  marriage,  38;  Con- 
stitution of  Sachems,  39;  raising  up  of  rulers, 
40;  powers  of  Sachems,  41 ;  plan  of  succession 
and  ceremonies,  ib.,  42,  43;  belief,  44-46; 
mythology,  ib. ;  tobacco  and  its  virtues,  47; 
their  conception  of  heaven,  48;  state  after 
death,  49;  ib.,  50;  ceremonies  of  worship,  51; 
thanksgivings  and  prayers,  ib.,  52,  53;  dances 
of,  54-56;  polygamy  forbidden,  58;  hospitality 
of,  59,  60;  "New  Religion"  of,  62-81;  Red- 
jacket's  immortal  speeches,  tb.-fy ;  Red-jacket 
and  William  Penn,  86;  Farmer's  Brother  be- 
fore the  Council  of  Genesee,  87,  88;  Corn 
Planter  to  President  Washington,  89,  90; 
Black  Thunder  and  the  American  Commis- 
sioners, 91-93;  Black  Hawk's  Lament,  i'6.-gs : 
Captain  Pipe  to  the  British  Commander  at 
Detroit,  95-97;  Logan's  appeal,  ib.,  98;  anec- 
dotes of,  $.-114;  records  of,  ti.-ng;  story 
of  Cunning  Fox,  the  Huron  Chief  who  visited 
the  Delawares,  120-124;  enlistment  for  the 
war-path  and  Aboriginal  costume,  125-132; 
exploits  of  a  Mandan  Chief,  ib.  132-138; 
legends  and  concluding  rfsumf  of  Indian 
character,  140-148. 

AMERICAN  REVOLUTION: 
Events  leading  up  to,  150-172:  Tammany  So- 
ciety's work,  172-174. 

Ancestors,  Worship  of,  52,  55. 

Ancient  Red  Men,  277,  302. 

Arizona,  372,  447. 

Arkansas,  388,  389,  393,  447. 


B. 

Bates,  Frank  A.,  114. 

Beneficial  Degree  Council,  317,  481,  523. 

BENEFITS  : 

As  regards  appeals,  477;  ordinary,  480,  481. 
BIOGRAPHIES  : 

Of  Past  Great  Incohonees,  449-474. 
Birthday  of  Washington,  228. 
Black  Hawk's  Lament,  93-95. 
Burial  of  Dead,  27,  28,  47,  48,  68,  71. 

C. 

California,  293,  319,  339,  356,  367,  404,  436. 

California  Indian  Relics,  380. 

CARDS  : 
Withdrawal,  481,  482;  Travelling,  483,  575. 

Celebration  of  St.  Tammany  Day  in  1783,  177, 
178. 

Charters,  483-486,  517. 

Charleston,  Tribe  of,  207,  208. 

Charter  Members,  248,  250. 

CHIEFS: 

Of  the  Mountain,  288;  titles  changed,  338; 
Great  Council,  Tribe,  Degree  Council,  Degree 
of  Pocahontas,  Great  Incohonee,  and  State 
Great  Council,  486-492;  raising  up,  520;  terms 
of,  531-532;  creation  of,  538. 

Chieftains'  League,  22,  284,  394,  395,  404,  408, 
416,  595-604. 

Colorado,  369,  372,  382,  387-390,  447. 

Connecticut,  169,  311,  382,  392,  395,  404,  435. 

Constitution  and  By-laws,  G.  C.  U.  S.,  281,  282, 
309,  322,  360,  387,  389,  415,  421,  475,  539- 
587- 

Contents,  Table  of,  7,  8. 

Continental  Uniform  proposed,  366,  380. 

Contributors,  Additional,  3. 

Council  Brand,  495. 

Council  Brand,  The,  publication  commenced, 
357- 

D. 

DANCES  : 

War,   54;     Feather,   55;    For  the   Dead,  ib. ; 

collection  of,  ib.,  56. 
Danish,  Translation  of  Ritual,  389. 
Daughters  of  Powhatan,  319,  320. 
Declaration  of  Independence,  161. 


619 


62O 


INDEX. 


Dedication  of  Wigwams,  294. 
DEGREES  : 

Uniformed,    391,     392;     Digest    regulations, 

495~497>  theory  of  their  constitution,  and  the 

lessons  taught,  605-610. 
Delaware,  169,  196,  202,  209,  286,  287,  297,  299, 

304,  305,  312,  314,  318,  321,  337,  355,  428. 
Demonstration,  first  public,  258. 
DEPUTIES  : 

Great  Sachems,  Great  Incohonees,  497,  498. 
Digest,  347,  357,  408,  418,  421,  475-538. 
Diploma,  Members,  408,  409,  413,  415,  499. 
District  of  Columbia,  260,  261,  282,   283,   289, 
297,  299.  3°3,  3°5,  3M,  3i8,  321,  337,  427. 

B. 

Early  Initiation  Ceremonies,  204-206. 
Editors,  List  of,  i,  3. 
Elections,  499-501. 
Errata,  538. 

Evil,  The  Abode  of,  48,  75,  76,  78. 
Exemplification  of  the  Work,  413. 

F. 

Fac  Simile  of  "  General  Orders,"  234. 
'First  Organization,  19,  247. 
Five  Nations,  The,  24,  32,  35. 
Flag,  Official,  360,  361,  406,  529,  530. 
Florida,  369,  372,  382,  387-389,  446. 
Funeral  Ceremony,  294. 

G. 

Georgia,  169,  353,  359,  365,  367,  369,  372,  377, 
394i  395.  4i8,  438. 

General  Laws  for  Grand  Councils,  475. 

Gorham,  Morris  H.,  17,  199. 

Grand  Sun  of  the  Discovery,  320,  322. 

Great  Britain  and  the  United  States,  Peace  of, 
34,  87- 

GREAT  COUNCIL  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES: 

Date  of  organization  and  introduction  to,  17, 
18,  20,  22,  197,  199,  203,  210,  258,262,263,269; 
Council  fire  kindled,  1847,  at  Baltimore,  281 ; 
Council  fire  kindled,  1848,  at  Washington,  285 ; 
Council  fire  kindled,  1849,  at  Baltimore,  287; 
Council  fire  kindled,  1850,  289;  Special  Coun- 
cil fire,  294;  Council  fire  kindled,  1851,  295; 
Council  fire  kindled,  1852,  297;  Council  fire 
kindled,  1853,  299;  Council  fire  kindled,  1854, 
303;  Council  fire  kindled,  1855,  305;  Council 
fire  kindled,  1856,  307;  Council  fire  kindled, 
J857,  309;  Council  fire  kindled,  1858,  310; 
Council  fire  kindled,  1859,  312;  Council  fire 
kindled,  1860,  314;  Council  fire  kindled,  1861, 
315;  Council  fire  not  kindled,  1862,  317;  Coun- 
cil fire  kindled,  1863,  318;  Council  fire  kindled, 

1864,  at  Philadelphia,  319;  Council  fire  kindled, 

1865,  at  Baltimore,  321 ;   Council  fire  kindled, 

1866,  323;  Council  fire  kindled,  1867,  at  Phila- 
delphia, 337;    Council   fire   kindled,    1868,  at 


Cincinnati,  338;  Council  fire  kindled,  1869, 
at  St.  Louis,  342;  Council  fire  kindled,  1870, 
at  Baltimore,  344;  Council  fire  kindled,  1871,  at 
Philadelphia,  347;  Council  fire  kindled,  1872, 
at  Nashville,  350;  Council  fire  kindled,  1873,  at 
Wilmington,  353;  Council  fire  kindled,  1874,  at 
Indianapolis,  355;  Council  fire  kindled,  1875, 
at  Richmond,  359:  Council  fire  kindled,  1876, 
at  Philadelphia,  362  ;  Council  fire  kindled, 

1877,  at  Columbus,  364;  Council  fire  kindled, 

1878,  at  Baltimore,  366;  Council  fire  kindled, 

1879,  at  New  York,  369;  Council  fire  kindled, 

1880,  at   Boston,   372;    Council    fire   kindled, 

1881,  at  Annapolis,  378;  Council  fire  kindled, 

1882,  at   Easton,   381 ;    Council   fire  kindled, 

1883,  at    Atlantic    City,    385;     Council     fire 
kindled,  1884,  at  Springfield,  387;  Council  fire 
kindled,   1885,   at   Elmira,   390;    Council   fire 
kindled,    1886,  at  Detroit,   392;    Council   fire 
kindled,  1887,  at  Wilmington,  394;  Council  fire 
kindled,  1888,  at  Chicago,  403;    Council   fire 
kindled,  1889,  at  Baltimore,  406;  Council  fire 
kindled,   1890,   at   Boston,   409;    Council   fire 
kindled,  1891,  at  Cleveland,  413;  Council  fire 
kindled,  1892,  at  Atlanta,  419. 

Great  Spirit,  The,  29,  30,  44,  46-48,  62,  i£.-8i ; 
z'6.-84;  142,  144. 

H. 

Hascall,   Lee  Claflin,   Proposal   for  an  Official 
History,  405,  412,  415. 

Hawaiian  Islands,  364,  446. 

Heaven,  Indian  conception  of,  47,  48,  70. 

HISTORY  : 

Theory  of,  5;  first  proposed,  301,  302;  report 
of  committees  of,  325-336,  403-420. 

Homes  proposed,  390,  394,  417,  418. 

Horton,  R.  G.,  166. 

I. 

Incohonees,  Past  Great,  i,  19,  211,  282,  407,  449- 

474- 

Illinois,  293,  342,  353,  359,  363,  365,  367,  377, 
396,  404,  406,  407,  432. 

Iroquois,  League  of,  12,  24,  25,  32-40,  42,  43,  53, 
57,  97,  606-610. 

Independent  Order  of  Red  Men,  292-294. 

Indiana,  309,  337,  342,  363,  366,  377,  404,  432. 

INDIAN: 

Pen  picture  of,  25;  government  of,  30,  31, 
39-43;  wit,  98;  honor,  ib. ;  recklessness,  ib. ; 
justice  (i),  09;  magnanimity,  ib. ;  deception, 
100;  shrewdness,  z'£. ;  equality,  102;  matrimony, 
ib.;  toleration,  ib. ;  justice  (2)  103;  preaching 
vs.  practice,  ib. ;  character  contrasted,  104; 
torture,  ib. ;  suffering,  105;  notions  of  the 
whites,  ib. ;  success  among,  106;  curiosity, 
107;  rules  of  conversation,  ib.;  loss  of  confi- 
dence, ib.;  self-esteem,  108;  signal  barbarity, 
108,  109;  anecdotes,  ib.,  no;  captivity  of 


INDEX. 


621 


Hannah    Duston,  111-114;    records,   r'3.-i3g; 
legends,  140-148. 

Indian  Territory,  414,  448. 

IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  RED  MEN: 
Organization  at  Baltimore,  247;  calendar 
adopted,  251,  252;  charter  from  Legislature  of 
Maryland,  253;  public  demonstration,  258; 
charter  for  Great  Council  of  the  District  of 
Columbia,  260,  261,  262;  organization  of  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States,  263; 
charter  of  Logan  Tribe,  No.  i,  265,266;  loss 
of  records,  and  discussion  of  dates  of  charters 
of  Nos.  i,  2,  and  3,  268;  another  version,  270- 
280. 

Iowa,  310,  350,  385,  388,  389,  390,  408,  433. 

Introduction,  11-15. 

J. 

Jones,   William   T.  (first  Great   Sachem),   268, 

274,  278. 
Jubilee  Celebration,  416-418. 

K. 

Kansas,  350,  362,  365,  385,  388,  389,  390,  442. 
"  Keepers  of  the  Faith,"  50,  67,  68,  72,  73. 
Kentucky,  299,  300,  305,  312,  314,  318,  321,  337, 

393,  406,  430. 
King  Philip  of  the  Wampanoags,  25. 


Lafayette,  General,  visit  of,  235-241. 

Latham,  Hugh,  199,  271,  286,  287,  295,  374,  381, 

45i- 
LEGISLATION: 

Constitutions,  539-587. 
Logan  Tribe,  No.  i,  charter  of,  265,  266. 
Louisiana,  181,  293,  307,  311,  321,  337,  342,  345, 

347.  360.  369.  382,  426. 

M. 

Maine,  382,  404,  406,  410,  446. 
Mandan  Chief,  Robe  of,  130. 
MANITTO: 

The  Great,  123;  Ode  to,  126. 
Mark,  507,  508. 
Marley,  Richard,  19,  211,  228,  269,  271,  272,  295, 

316,  342,  459. 

Marriage  customs,  the,  30,  57,  58,  102. 
Maryland,  20,  149,  156,  157,  169,  183,  247,  253, 

260,  263,  264,  265,  267,  276,  278,  286,  287,  289, 

290,  293,  297,  299,  303,  305,  312,  314,  318,  321, 

337,341,  404. 
Massachusetts,  24,  31,   154,  156,  157,  169,  293, 

35°,  353,  355,  375,  392,  395,  4°4,  409,  4'  3,  443- 
Mather,  Dr.  Cotton,  Account  of  the  Captivity  of 

Hannah  Duston,  111-114. 
Medicine  Man,  27,  74,  141. 
MEMBERSHIP: 

Resident,  508;    non-resident,  510;    rejections, 
renunciation,  and  resignation,  524;    reinstate- 


ment, 525;  stricken  from  roll  and  suspensions, 
530;  twigging,  vacancies,  536;  visitation,  vot- 
ing, 537  '•  withdrawals  and  applications,  538; 
errata,  538. 

Metamora  Tribe,  No.  2,  266. 

Michigan,  339,  342,  350,  438. 

Minute  Book,  Philadelphia  Society,  208,  209, 
212,  214,  215,  216-246. 

Mississippi,  345,  347,  350,  355,  359,  362,  425. 

Minnesota,  359,  396,  445. 

Missouri,  293,  307,  311,  314,  324,  337,  434. 

Mitchell,  Dr.  Samuel  L.,  188. 

Mock  Adoption,  410,  412. 

"Mohicans"  (Mohegans),  Last  of,  118-139. 

Montana,  390,  448. 

Mothers,  Land  Titles  descend  in,  38. 

Mythology,  44,  45,  46,  50. 

Muirhead,  William,  19,  211,  273. 

N. 

Names  of  Officers,  204,  206,  260,  282,  286,  288, 
291,  296,  298, 302,  305,  306-307,  308,  310,  311, 
313,  315,  31?,  318-319,  32<>,  322,  337,  34°, 
345,  SSL  357,  363-364.  369,  374,384>  389,  393. 

405,  412,  422. 

Nebraska,  353,  359,  363,  366,  382,  408,  414,  443. 

New  Hampshire,  169,  363,  379,  382,  404,  445. 

New  Jersey,  169,  293,  295,  298,  299,  304,  312, 
3'4,  318,  321,  337,  377,  392,  395,429. 

New  Mexico,  448. 

New  Religion,  The,  by  Ga-ne-o-di-yo,  or  Hand- 
some Lake,  the  Seneca  Sachem,  62-81. 

Nevada,  345,  347,  350,  353,  404,  440. 

New  York,  20,  156,  166,  169,  174,  182,  196,  209, 
211,  287,  290,  291,  293,  296,  300,  304,  305, 
3",  347.  350.  377.  392,  4°4,  428. 

NOMENCLATURE  : 
Of  money,  252;  of  the  Order,  611-618. 

North  American  Indians  ineligible  to  Member- 
ship, 349. 

North  Carolina,  169,  311,  314,  353,  355,  359.  385, 

406,  410,  419,  430. 

O. 

Objects  of  the  Order,  14. 

Office  for  Great  Chief  of  Records,  301. 

Official  Totem  (illustrated) ,  348. 

Ohio,  293,  297,  298,  299,  304,  305,  312,  314,  318, 
321,  337.  377,  404,  4°6,  43°- 

ORDER  OF  RED  MEN: 

Perpetuates  the  original,  n;  Hodenosaunee, 
12;  "Freedom,  Friendship,  and  Charity,"  13; 
Improved  Order  of,  19;  Ho-de-no-sau-nee,  35. 

Oregon,  345,  353,  404,  406,  419,  421,  439. 

Origin  of  Motto,  13,  169,  170. 

P. 

Passwords,  513,  514. 

PAST  OFFICERS: 

Sachems,  514;  Great  Sachems,  515;  Great 
Representatives,  516;  vacancies,  536. 


622 


INDEX. 


Past  Great  Incohonees,  Photographs  of,  315,  316. 

PATRIOTIC  SOCIETIES: 

Prefatory  definition,  6;  date  of  organization, 
17, 18;  Saint  Tammany,  18;  the  New  Religion, 
62-81;  origin  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men,  149,  150;  various  English  acts,  like 
Stamp  Act,  etc.,  151,  152;  St.  Tamina  Society 
and  Sons  of  Liberty,  153-162:  Society  of  the 

Cincinnati,  #.-165;    R.  G.  Horton's  account 

* 
of  the  formation  of  the  Tammany  Society  of 

New  York,  166-170;  Tammany  Society  and 
contemporaneous  history,  it.-iS^;  origin  of 
the  St.  Tamina  Society,  185-187;  Oldest  In- 
habitants' Association  and  certificate,  188;  Dr. 
Samuel  L.  Mitchell's  paper  on  Tammany's 
Patron  Saint,  ib.-iw,  variations  in  orthog- 
raphy, 195;  the  name,  "Red  Men"  appears, 
196,  197;  connecting  link  between  the  St. 
Tamina  Society  of  1771,  and  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men  of  1834,  198. 

Penalties  of  Infractions  of  Indian  Rules,  31,  60. 

Pennsylvania,  156,  169,  175,  177,  178,  196,  201, 

2IO,  287,  288,  290,  291,  293,  297,  299,  304,  305, 

312,  314,  318,  321,  337,  377,  392,  395,  404,  424. 
Peter,  G.  A.  (founder),  268,  280,  301,  320,  454. 
Picture  Writings  (illustrated),  115,  116,  117,  jig, 

127,  128,  129,  130,  140. 

POCAHONTAS  : 

Tribe,  No.  3,  267;  degree  of,  22,  298,  303, 
356,  368,  391,  394,  395,  396.  4°4,  4°°»  4°8,  41°, 
414,  421,  496-497,  523-5241  581-587:  History 
of,  588-594- 

Preamble,  Red  Men's  Society  of  Pennsylvania, 
201. 

Preface,  5,  6,  7. 

Proxy  Representation,  289. 

R. 

Rainmakers,  The,  140,  141. 

Red-jacket,  62,  81-87. 

REGALIA  : 

G.  C.  U.  S.,  286;  full  specifications  of,  294, 
295;  distinctive,  341,  521-524. 

Red  Men,  Primitive,  23-148. 

Requiem,  Indian  Mother's,  48. 

Representation,  525-527. 

Returns,  Tax  and  Revenue,  527-529. 

REVISED  DIGEST: 

Constitution  G.  C.  U.  S.,  475;  by-laws 
G.  C.  U.  S.,  ib. ;  general  laws  for  Great  Coun- 
cils, id. ;  appeals,  ib. ;  appeals  as  regards 
benefits,  477;  duties  of  Commissioner,  478; 
appropriations,  ib.\  arrears,  479;  assessments, 
ib.;  application  for  aid,  it.;  authority,  ib.; 
Beneficial  Degree  Councils,  481;  cards,  with- 
drawal, 481-483;  travelling,  ib.;  ceremonies, 
483;  certified  receipts,  ib. ;  charters,  #.-486; 
charges  (see  trials),  486;  Chiefs  (of  Great 
Council),  (of  Tribe),  (of  a  Degree  Council), 
(of  Degree  of  Pocahontas),  (eligibility), 


(duties  of) i  ib.-tfft;  committees,  #.-493; 
consolidation,  ib.;  costumes,  494;  Councils, 
ib.;  Council  Brand,  495;  dating,  z'£.;  Degrees, 
z<}.-497;  Deputy  Great  Sachems,  and  Deputy 
Great  Incohonees,  ib.;  dismissal  certificates, 
498-499;  diplomas,  ib.;  dues,  ib.;  elections, 
ib.-y>\ ;  extinct  Tribes,  ib. ;  forms,  ib. ;  fees, 
ib.;  funds,  502;  State  Great  Councils  (how  com- 
posed) ,  ib.,  503 ;  honors,  ib.,  504 ;  Act  of  incor- 
poration, ib.,  505;  Indian  relics,  ib.;  insurance, 
ib. ;  laws,  ib. -507;  lotteries  or  gift  enterprises, 
ib.;  Mark,  ib.;  membership,  508-510;  non- 
residents, ib. ;  Parliamentary  law,  ib.-$\\\ 
rules  of  order,  #.-513;  past  chiefs,  514-516: 
permanent  fund,  ib.;  penalties,  ib. ;  forfeiture 
of  charters,  517;  per  diem  and  mileage,  ib., 
518;  phraseology  (calendar),  ib. ;  printing  of 
records  and  supplies,  519;  quorum,  ib.;  Rais- 
ing of  chiefs,  520;  records,  ib. ',  regalia,  521- 
524;  rejections,  renunciation,  and  resignation, 
reinstatement,  ib.,  525;  representation,  ib.- 
527;  returns,  tax  and  revenue,  $.-529; 
stricken  from  the  roll,  and  suspensions,  530; 
Tammany  Day,  531;  terms  of  chiefs,  ib. ; 
trials,  532-535;  Tribes,  ib.;  twigging,  536; 
vacancies,  ib. ;  visitation,  537 ;  voting,  ib. ; 
withdrawals  and  errata,  538. 
Rhode  Island,  169,  293,  350,  375,  392,  393,  395, 
404,  405,  441. 

S. 

Skinner,  John  S.,  185,  187. 

Shallus,  Francis,  213,  215. 

Six  Nations,  32,  91. 

SOCIETY  : 

Of  the  Cincinnati,  162,  163,  165;  of  Red 
Men,  second  epoch  in  history  of,  199;  the 
Fort  Mifflin  organization,  ib.,  200;  Preamble  of 
the  Red  Men's  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  201 ; 
first  officers,  204;  ceremonies  of  initiation,  ib.- 
206;  the  Tribe  at  Charleston,  S.C.,  207,  208; 
early  Minute  Books,  z"<J.-2io;  ancient  Tribes 
of  Reading,  Pa.,  Albany,  N.Y.,  Baltimore, 
Md.,  ib.,  211 ;  records  lost,  213,  214;  list  of 
white  men  adopted,  216;  documentary  evi- 
dence, 217-246. 

Songs,  the  Red  Men's  "  Free  and  Easy,"  221, 
222,  223,  224,  229;   Pocahontas,  593-594. 

Sons  of  Liberty,  18,  20,  118,  153,  154,  155,  156, 
157,  158,  159,  160,  161,  162,  177,  184,  196. 

South  Carolina,  160,  169,  355,  388,  389,  394,  395, 
412,  414,  444. 

St.  Tamina  Day,  20,  177,  201,  531. 

SPEECHES: 

Of  Handsome  Lake,  62-81;  of  Red-jacket, 
ii.-Sj ;  of  Ho-na-ya-wus,  or  Farmer's  Brother, 
ib.-9&;  Corn  Planter,  89-91;  Black  Thunder, 
z2.-93;  Black  Hawk's  Lament,  t'i.-qs ;  Captain 
Pipe,  $.-97;  Logan,  the  Mingo  Chief,  #.-98; 
Last  of  the  Mohicans  (Mohegans),  118-139. 


INDEX. 


623 


STATE  GREAT  COUNCILS: 

History  of,  and  statistics,  433-448;  how  com- 
posed, 502,  503. 

Statistics,  287,  289,  292,  297,  299,  301,  305,  307, 
309,  311-312,  313-314,  315,  3*7,  3*9,  321,  322, 
337.  338i  341-342,  344.  347,  348,  351,  354,  356, 
363,  365,  367,  37°,  373.  376,  379-380,  382,  386, 
388,  390-391,  393,  395-396,  404,  408,  411,  414- 
4I5,  420,  423-448. 
SUBJECT: 

Outline  of,  17;  the  evidence  from  Tradition, 
18;  Epochs,  19-22. 

X. 

Table  of  Contents,  7,  8. 

TAMMANY: 

Society  of,  18,  20;  Columbian  Order,  162;  ac- 
count of,  166-170;  Colonel  Willet's  report,  ib.- 
174;  Odes,  178,  180;  Legend  of  Patron  Saint, 
188-194;  various  spellings,  195;  various  socie- 
ties, 196;  connecting  links  with  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men,  198. 

Tennessee,  339,  342,  357,  437. 

Texas,  339,  342,  360,  372,  385,  390,  436. 

Thanksgivings,  Indian  Paeans,  51,  52,  53. 

Thanks,  Return  of,  7. 

The  Calumet,  First  Paper  published  in  Interest 
of  the  Order,  339-340,  357. 

Theory  of  Government,  35-41. 

Time,  Indian  Division  of,  28,  49,  50,  251,  252, 
495,  5i8. 

Title  Page,  i. 

Toronto,  Dominion  of  Canada,  395,  396,  448. 

Totems  of  the  North  American  Indians,  119. 

Traits  of  Indian  Character,  58-62,  140-148. 

Trails,  532-535,  562-569. 


u. 

UNIFORM: 

Degree,    proposed    and     adopted,    391,    392; 

Chieftains'  League,  595-604. 
UNION: 

Improved  and  Independent  Orders,  346,  354, 

356.  367,  37°,  386. 
Utah,  350,  355,  382,  419,  441. 

V. 

VARIOUS  EARLY  COUNCILS: 

At  Fort  Mifflin,  18,  196,  199,  200,  201,  202, 
203;  at  Charleston,  207;  at  New  York,  208; 
Great  Council  of  Pennsylvania,  210;  at  Phila- 
delphia, 214,  215,  226;  adjourned  for  social 
purposes,  220;  at  Philadelphia,  221-246. 

Vermont,  392,  395,  448. 

Veteran's  Badge,  419,  421. 

Virginia,  169,  283,  286,  289,  297,  299,  304,  305, 
3",  314,  321,  337,  393,  404,  425. 

W. 

Wampum  Belt,  The,  384. 

Washington,  George,  77,  89,  108,  163,  164,  171, 
179,  202. 

Washington  Monument,  356. 

Washington  (State  of),  351,  355,  404,  406,  409, 
414,  419,  442. 

West  Virginia,  293,  318,  321,  342,  343,  345,  404, 
435- 

Wigwam,  Description  of,  26,  27. 

Wisconsin,  347,  350,  359,  390,  396,  440. 

Work  of  the  Order,  Revision  of,  283,  284,  286, 
294,  295,  '296,  298,  305,  306,  308,  309,  310, 
3",  3'3,  3M,  3i8,  322,  324,  341,  349,  352, 
354,  358,  3°4,  368,  381,  421,  529,  605-610. 

Wyoming,  419,  448. 


UCSB    LIBRARY 


i25W\3jf3&* 

3ra9«*i«jir 


• 


"I? 

&S& 


University  of  California 

SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

405  Hilgard  Avenue,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90024-1388 

Return  this  material  to  the  library 

from  which  it  was  borrowed. 


DUE 

2000 

F  cn/M-u* 

i— 

/RL  OCT 

35  '00 

.  w 

IPs*         sPssfcSS  gsSSs- 


W^^9S!fiS&«uw*0!S«^ 


Bfi 


-~?  >  (nracLTJH *•/!«««»??•  ^v— <?•  v  t« .  ,V«-  , 


:  -- -  * 


